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The World Baseball Classic is in full swing on Thursday with five games, and all four pools in action, in four different cities, highlighted by the defending champion Dominican Republic.
Back in 2013, the Dominican Republic was the first team in World Baseball Classic history to go undefeated, winning all eight games. They open their 2017 Classic on Tuesday evening against Canada at Marlins Park in Miami.
That is the first game in Pool C, which also features the United States and Colombia.
Pool D opens play as well on Thursday from Jalisco, Mexico, with host Mexico taking on Italy. Those two are joined by Puerto Rico and Venezuela to round out Pool D. The first round is a round robin format, with the top two teams from each pool advancing to the second round.
MLB Network will televise roughly 15 hours worth of WBC baseball on Thursday, with two of the games on tape delay because of timing conflicts. Online streaming is available through MLB Network with television provider authentication.
ESPN Deportes and ESPN Deportes+ will televise the games in Spanish, available online via Watch ESPN.
Thursday WBC schedule
4:30 a.m. - Korea vs. Chinese Taipei
TV: MLB Network (tape delay, 8 a.m.), ESPN Deportes
5 a.m. - Australia vs. China
TV: MLB Network, ESPN Deportes+
6 p.m. - Canada vs. Dominican Republic
TV: MLB Network, ESPN Deportes
9 p.m. - Mexico vs. Italy
TV: MLB Network, ESPN Deportes
10 p.m. - Australia vs. Cuba
TV: MLB Network (tape delay, 12 a.m.), ESPN Deportes+