Soto: Dominicans are 'best team' in world despite WBC loss to USA

Juan Soto believes the Dominican Republic was the top team in the World Baseball Classic before being eliminated Sunday.

"We showed the world who's the best team in baseball," Soto told ESPN's Jeff Passan following a gutting 2-1 loss to the United States in the tournament's semifinal in Miami. "That's all I got to say."

The game ended on a blown call by home plate umpire Cory Blaser. U.S. closer Mason Miller got the final out in the ninth inning thanks to a called third strike on Geraldo Perdomo with a full count and the tying run on third base. The pitch was below the zone. If it had been called as a ball, Fernando Tatis Jr. would have come up to bat with the winning run on first base.

"I knew 100% it was a ball," Perdomo said postgame. "I knew it."

Soto also struck out looking on a Garrett Whitlock slider in the eighth that appeared to be below the zone.

The ABS system isn't being used in the WBC despite arriving in MLB for the 2026 season.

"It's part of the game," Dominican Republic general manager Nelson Cruz said. "You lost by inches. We'll have ABS in a few years, so hopefully next time we can challenge plays like that.

"This event is really good for baseball. You have regular fans that love the game - and you have people who don't pay attention and you're attracting them."

Meanwhile, Dominican manager and future MLB Hall of Famer Albert Pujols didn't want the call to overshadow a great contest between baseball powerhouses.

"I am not going to focus on that last pitch," Pujols said, according to ASAP Sports. "It was a huge game between two huge teams, and I'm super proud for the guys that represented us in this Classic."

The Dominicans outscored their opponents 52-12 in the tournament despite failing to make the WBC final. The Americans will take on the winner of Monday's Venezuela-Italy showdown.