World Baseball Classic Championship Final - Venezuela vs USA
Tuesday, 17 March, 2026
Miami, Florida, USA
LoanDepot Park
Team Venezuela
Andres Machado
Pregame Press Conference
Q. You have had a great performance. You went to Asia, and people didn't follow you up, but now with the Classic, you put your name on the roadmap again. How are you feeling about that? Any messages supporting you? And number two, how are you feeling to pitch? Omar said that everyone was ready, but how -- personally, how do you feel for tonight's game?
ANDRES MACHADO: First of all, I would like to thank God for showing my talent once again in this region. Playing in Japan helped me a lot, and I have proven that. I feel very well. I am healthy, thanking God for being here.
Q. How has been the job you have done in the bullpen in terms of planning, the communication with Johan, Omar, and Jorge to prepare you for any situation?
ANDRES MACHADO: Like I said yesterday, we have no roles in the bullpen. I have pitched in the seventh, eighth, ninth inning. If Omar needs me in the second or third inning, I will be ready. The same goes for the other pitchers. We are all on the same page, and that's why we are so united in achieving good results in the bullpen.
We're positive, we try to execute, try to make outs as soon as possible, and we are achieving good results. I hope that God will help us to win the game today.
Q. Omar spoke about the chemistry in the clubhouse, that you are so united simultaneously that you don't need team meetings, et cetera. How do you see that personally?
ANDRES MACHADO: Exactly. I feel that we have been together for one year. Great chemistry. We're always positive. We feel that we are all on the same page.
It's only one goal, to be champions. We hope to win today, and we have to thank God for this.
Q. For you as a pitcher, what's the role of good feelings plus analytics tonight knowing that you are facing this team that is very tough, such as Team USA?
ANDRES MACHADO: Well, that's with the staff, with the coaching staff. They will know how to move the pieces to score runs and to make outs. We are going to do our best to leave it all on the field and to execute every single pitch. This is our goal for today, and we have been achieving very good results through the championship.
Q. What recollections will you take from this experience, you personally and as a team?
ANDRES MACHADO: Many. Many memories, first of all. We want to give this win to our country. This is going to be the best. And what we have been doing together as a team, the brotherhood, I'm thanking God for everything.
(FastScripts by ASAP Sports).
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports165258-1-2239 2026-03-17 21:28:00 GMT
