"I had sushi"" 日Insult Acuña, batch 1 → Venezuela-Italy lineup revealed! Who's the final winner of "The Devil"?

*This content was translated by AI.

Outfielder Ronald Acuña Jr. (29, Atlanta Braves), who has emerged as the 2026 WBC (World Baseball Classic)'s biggest "issue player" by provoking the Japanese national baseball team with a "sushi statement," will also take aim at the finals against Italy.

Venezuela and Italy announced their starting lineup ahead of the 2026 WBC semifinals at Rondipo Park in Miami, Florida on the 17th (Korea time).

First, Venezuela set up the starting lineup in the order of Acuña Jr. (right fielder), Mikel Garcia (third baseman), Luis Arraez (first baseman), Eugenio Suarez (designated hitter), Ezekiel Toba (striker), Gleyber Torres (second baseman), Willier Abre (left fielder), William Contreras (catcher), and Jackson Churio (midfielder). Right-hander Kader Montero (Detroit Tigers) will be the starting pitcher.

It is notable that Acuña Jr. remained the first hitter. Acuña Jr. is the main character of a video in which he repeatedly shouts, "We ate sushi" after the match against Japan on the 15th. However, it was pointed out that he insulted Japan over the video. The Athletic, an American sports media outlet, also wrote that "there is an interpretation that it is a racist expression." Acuña Jr. did not appear at an official press conference on the 17th, ahead of the game. There were also no related questions about Venezuelan coach Omar Lopez.

Against this, Italy put together the batting line in the order of Sam Antonacci (striker), John Bertie (second baseman), Jacob Masi (middle fielder), Vinny Pasquantino (first baseman), Zach DiGenzo (designated hitter), Jack Caglian (right fielder), Andrew Fisher (third baseman), J. Doragio (catcher) and Dante Nori (left fielder). The starting pitcher is Aaron Nola (Philadelphia Phillies), a veteran right-hander with 109 wins in the Major League Baseball. Until the previous day (16th), Michael Lorenzen (Colorado Rockies) was likely to play, but the starting pitcher was changed on the day of the game.

Currently, the U.S., the host country, is already on a first-come, first-served basis in the final. The day before (16th), the Dominican Republic's firepower was silenced and the team won 2-1 and is waiting for the opponent to meet in the final. The team that wins the Venezuela-Italy match will play its last match against the United States for the long-awaited WBC trophy on the 18th.

Baseball fans around the world are paying attention to Miami whether Acuña Jr., who turned the Japanese archipelago upside down, will be able to leave the controversy behind and take the final stage, or whether "Underdog" Italy will become the final partner of the United States.

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*This content was translated by AI.