World Baseball Classic Championship Final - Venezuela vs USA
Tuesday, 17 March, 2026
Miami, Florida, USA
LoanDepot Park
Team Venezuela
Eugenio Suarez
Pregame Press Conference
Q. Eugenio, you have been in playoff games. You came from the last season. Where would you put these last games in your career? And something else: There have been some comments from the U.S. fans. They don't understand how high the Latin teams are putting the World Classic in their career.
EUGENIO SUAREZ: I can say that this Classic is in the top of my career. Last year in the playoff against the Dodgers, there were so many, many fans, but the noise here in the World Classic is unique. Nothing compared to the playoff games. It's been very, very noisy.
The Latin fans really feel and live the support to their teams. They are living this, and this is an extra motivation for us. The Venezuelan fans showed yesterday how passionate the fans are for baseball. This World Classic, to me, it's been one of the noisiest during my career.
Q. Eugenio, do you have any appreciation for the reaction back in Venezuela, how much attention it's getting and how many people are going to be watching tonight?
EUGENIO SUAREZ: It feels great. I have a lot of appreciation. I have to say thank you for all the fans coming in here to support our team, our country. It's been so loud for us. It's been awesome, the support that we have so far.
And today I think it's going to be one of the greatest games in my whole career. I think the fans are going to love it.
That's all we want. We want to show up and do our best for our fans.
Q. Do you hear from people back home that are watching there?
EUGENIO SUAREZ: Of course. I have a lot of texts, a lot of messages from my family, my friends from Venezuela. They are very excited for this game tonight, and they just want to be -- you know, they just want to enjoy the game. It's going to be fun. It's going to be awesome, a good game for both sides.
Q. We were speaking about that the other day in the hallway. We see you dancing and the prayers and the chemistry on the team. How important is that, for you to be united no matter the result today? Because you are going to be united for the rest of your lives knowing that you are representing your country.
EUGENIO SUAREZ: I can tell you this has been one of the best teams I have been with. 2023 was united as well, but this year it's been special, not only because we have been winning, but because of the brotherhood.
This unit that we achieved is unforgettable. I have never played with Javier Sanoja, for example. I met him when he came to the Majors, and now I feel he's part of the team as if I knew him for a long time. This is the collaboration, the brotherhood we have in the team. This is the most beautiful thing.
Baseball allows that. The relationships that you make with players that are not on your team and you see the brotherhood in this national team, this is beautiful. What we have done on the field is proof of that. That's why we are united with one single heart, with one single prayer.
God says go and make disciples, and this is beautiful to be able to say I played with A or with B., I was lucky to make a great play with C. This is the brotherhood. The most beautiful thing is the brotherhood that we have on the team.
Q. Omar Lopez said that in this Classic you couldn't take Miguel Cabrera to the final, but this time you have Salvador Perez in the final. Is that important for you and for the team and for him?
EUGENIO SUAREZ: It means a lot as a team, as a player. This is probably -- this is the last Classic for Salvador or Miguel, but giving that joy to them -- Miguel has been a joy in the games as another player, and giving this joy to Salvador in his career is beautiful.
So many achievements both as a baseball player and personally, and giving him that victory -- this championship, it's going to be beautiful for him, for his family. He deserves that for everything that he has done for the national team not because he's just the captain, but because he has experience. He gives good advice. He always motivates us to keep our heads up. That's very useful not only here in the Classic, but in our personal careers.
I do have a meeting, guys. Thank you. Thank you. I love you all. Blessings.
(FastScripts by ASAP Sports)
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports165259-1-2239 2026-03-17 21:33:00 GMT
