The match between Brazil vs New Zealand will take place in Estadio Nacional de Panamá (Panama City) on Friday, September 30 at 7:00 PM CEST / 12:00 PM ET / 10:30 PM IST.
On Friday, September 30, the second World Baseball Classic Qualifier gets underway in Panama City. The competition, which is set for March 2023, will include six National Teams vying for two slots. The competitors are the host nation, Panama, ranked 13th in the globe, Nicaragua, 15th, Brazil, 25th, Argentina, 27th, Pakistan, and 46th-ranked New Zealand.
Tuesday, October 4, and Wednesday, October 5, are set aside for the qualifying matches. Panama and Nicaragua are the undisputed favorites. With former Major League Baseball (MLB) players like pitchers Randall Delgado, Enrique Burgos, and Alberto Baldonado, outfielder Allen Cordoba, and infielders Rubén Tejada and Jonathan Araz, manager Luis Martinez feels Panama has a squad that balances youth and experience.
Steve Finley, a former MLB World Series champion and All-Star outfielder, will lead Brazil. The three-year MLB veteran right-hander Andre Rienzo is presently competing in the Mexican League. Paulo Orlando, an outfielder, has participated in 278 MLB contests. Before being released in August, infielder Christian Lopez made his MLB debut with the Oakland A’s. Catchers Eddy Arteaga (college), Damian Goulart (college, minor leagues), and Daniel Molinari (minor leagues) have all played in the US. Despite having the lowest overall ranking, New Zealand has three minor league players on its roster: pitcher Elliot Johnstone of Mets, infielders Jason Matthews of White Sox, and Nikau Pouaka-Grego of Phillies.
READ MORE: Great Britain vs Spain World Baseball Classic Qualifiers preview
Brazil | New Zealand |
Marcelo Arai | Jimmy Boyce |
Tiago da Silva | Matt Boyce |
Igor Kimura | Mak Fox |
Luis de Camargo | Connar O’Gorman |
Felipe Burin | Luke Hansen |
Vitor Ito | Duncan Izaaks |
Salomon Koba | Ryan McLennan |
Victor Coutinho | Moko Moanaroa |
Gabriel Maciel | Brad Morris |
The match between Brazil vs New Zealand will take place in Estadio Nacional de Panamá (Panama City) on Friday, September 30 at 7:00 PM CEST / 12:00 PM ET / 10:30 PM IST.
Brazil vs New Zealand matchup from the WBC Qualifier in Regensburg will be live streamed on a number of European TV channels, MLB.com, and MLB’s Facebook page.
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