'Biggest thing ever': Germany, Brazil to play for final Classic spot

TUCSON, Ariz. ¨C With Colombia having already qualified for the 2026 World Baseball Classic after sweeping its three games at the Tucson leg of this year¡¯s qualifiers this week -- and China having been eliminated after losing all three of its contests ¨C the second team to come out of Kino Memorial Stadium for next year¡¯s tournament remains to be seen.

That honor will go to the winner of the do-or-die, second-place game on Thursday at 8 p.m. ET between Brazil (2-1) and Germany (1-2). The Brazilian club will be vying for its second Classic, after going in 2013 -- it lost all three of its games -- and then being eliminated in the next two qualifiers in 2016 and 2022.

"Very excited," said former Major League outfielder Paulo Orlando, part of Team Brazil¡¯s coaching staff this year. "A very important game for them. Some players have already gone through this and know the importance giving 100% in these moments.¡±

After being shut out by Colombia on Sunday in its first game of the tournament, Brazil won its next two contests -- including a 9-7 victory over Germany on Monday -- outscoring the opposition 21-9. Those two wins featured a total of 24 hits from the club¡¯s offense, including eight doubles.

Now, Brazil will look to keep it going against Germany, which will go with right-hander Niklas Rimmel on the mound. Veteran righty Tiago Da Silva will start for Brazil.

"Momentum is everything," said Brazil first baseman Dante Bichette Jr., one of two sons of famous former Major Leaguers on the team, along with Lucas Ram¨ªrez, son of former slugger Manny. "There's nothing to change; we just need to keep bringing the energy to Thursday's game and keep playing our game."

One of the themes surrounding Brazil in this qualifier has been team unity, something that manager Daniel Yuichi Matsumoto has talked about more than once.

"That comes from having a good coaching staff," Bichette Jr. said. "[Matsumoto] is very important to our team. We¡¯re like a family. It's a group of brothers. We all love each other.¡±

Like Matsumoto, Orlando played in the 2013 Classic for Brazil. The former Royal, who won a World Series ring with Kansas City in 2015, can attest to the close-knit nature of the group.

"We had a good camp in Brazil, 10 days," Orlando said. "The most important thing was that chemistry, with each player knowing what he can do, what he can contribute to the team, and we¡¯ll have all the energy possible for [Thursday]."

After being eliminated in the last two World Baseball Classic qualifiers, the veterans on Team Brazil are eager to change the narrative.

"It still hurts to this day, but we¡¯re focused on the goal as a family now," infielder Lucas Rojo said. "I think we can do it. We¡¯re determined to have a different outcome.¡±

"That 'World Cup', as we say in Brazil, is important for all the young people as well who follow the Brazilian team,¡± Orlando added. ¡°It will be important to have that feeling of moving on to the next level.¡±

Germany seeking first WBC
Playing in its fourth qualifying tournament, Germany is seeking to reach its first Classic. In Tucson, the German club got off to a good start on Sunday against China with a 12-2 win in seven innings. But since then, its pitching staff has allowed 19 runs in 16 innings in losses to Brazil and Colombia.

For Thursday¡¯s game, improved run prevention will be key.

"We have our second-best pitcher on the mound, and we¡¯re going to have our best guys in the bullpen," said Team Germany manager Jendrick Speer.

Despite their 1-2 record in the round-robin stage of the tournament, confidence remains high among the German club, which will seek redemption after being eliminated in the 2012, '16, and '22 qualifiers.

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"Where we are right now is sort of right where we want to be," said veteran Donald Lutz, a former Cincinnati Red who will come into Thursday¡¯s contest with a home run and four RBIs in two games of this tournament. "Obviously, it would have been nice to qualify right away, but now we just [have] to show up and play our game. I know we¡¯re capable of doing it.

"I think we¡¯re overdue. It would mean a lot for baseball in Germany and in Europe.¡±

"It's the biggest thing ever,¡± added Rimmel, who will be making his first appearance in the Tucson qualifier. ¡°It¡¯s probably going to be the biggest game in my career. It¡¯s always an honor, it¡¯s always a [mark of] pride to wear 'Deutschland' on the chest.¡±