The Dominican Republic was the first team in World Baseball Classic history to go undefeated en route to the title, but that feels like a long time ago for the baseball-crazed country. After being eliminated in the first round three years ago,

A reporter from the Dominican Republic had two questions for Detroit Tigers manager A.J. Hinch and one was about Kevin McGonigle.

Team Dominican Republic enters the 2026 World Baseball Classic with expectations as high as any team in the tournament. Star outfielders Juan Soto and Fernando Tatis Jr. recently offered fans a simple message about the identity behind the loaded roster.

Despite having so many talented players from the country in the Major League Baseball ranks, the Dominican Republic has struggled in best-on-best competition. Outside of a fourth-place finish in the inaugural WBC in 2006, the squad has failed to make it to the semifinals.

That spirit of dreams and journeys was at the heart of the Detroit Tigers’ two-day trip to the Dominican Republic, where the club played two exhibition games against the Dominic