WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL D - NICARAGUA VS DOMINICAN REPUBLIC

March 6, 2026

Manny Machado

LoanDepot Park

Team Dominican Republic

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Since the Dominican Republic team has so many superstars and you are the captain, everyone is supposed to know what they have to do. How do you communicate with them? What do you ask from them as the captain?

MANNY MACHADO: The good thing about this team is we have so many captains. Not all the teams can say that. Bottom line, we are playing for the Dominican Republic, the name on our chest. A whole country is supporting us.

The message is that we are playing for them, and to achieve our goal, we have to just play our game, not try to do different things. Just to play our game, to do what we know how to do.

Q. Maybe you don't know a lot about the Nicaraguan game plan, but the manager is a legend. How have you talked with the team about Dusty Baker?

MANNY MACHADO: Dusty is a legend in our sport. I know his game, how he likes to manage. I have talked to some of his coaches.

But this is a very short tournament, and we shouldn't think about the other team a lot. We have to execute our game plan, and that's it. To pitch properly, to have a good defense, to have outs, to move runners, and try to score runs as a team.

If we are able to control that as a team, everything is going to be much easier.

Q. The whole country was so excited after you played the two exhibition games. Everyone enjoyed them. The only comment on the social networks is the start of the Classic, and you're starting the Classic today. How is the excitement in the clubhouse? How about the vibes, your expectations?

MANNY MACHADO: Tell me about it. We are all wearing the jersey in the clubhouse. We are all ready for the Classic. The games in our country were something big, really big. The best thing that could happen to us, because it was like a Classic to us.

To start today, well, we are ready. We're just ready for the battle. It is not going to be easy. It's never easy. But we are ready to do our job.

Q. They are speaking a lot about the Dominican offense. However, there are other important details. You were speaking about defense. What can you share? You are very good at defense.

MANNY MACHADO: Well, we were playing the exhibition games in the Dominican Republic, but now this is real life. It was not a very good place in 2023. It was very important for us to play on the island. Defense is going to be key for us. We have a great defense and we have a great offense. We know that we're able to hit, but we have to do our best on defense in order to achieve our goal.

Q. You have two surprises in this Classic, captain of the team, the Dominican Republic ID from 2017 until now. Maybe you think about that. What can you tell us about that, and if you are excited to have an ID from the country you love?

MANNY MACHADO: It's a dream come true to wear the jersey. When you wear this jersey, it's something special. Now I have my ID, Dominican ID, no one can now say that I'm not Dominican.

Q. Is it important for you not only to represent the Dominican Republic but to play here in Miami, your home? Are you expecting some family members here?

MANNY MACHADO: It's always special to play in Miami, and this is great. We are close to our country, and that's helpful, as well. It's an advantage that we have.

Q. Yesterday Soto and Vlady said that they both participated before in World Series, and they said that playing with the Dominican Republic is bigger than that. You haven't won with the Dominican Republic team. You played in the World Series with the Dodgers. What do you think about that? How can you compare the World Series with the Classic? What is bigger?

MANNY MACHADO: The Classic for us is something different. When we play -- you can play for LA, San Diego in the majors, but when you have a whole country supporting you, this is something special. This is something different. It is important to have that on your shoulders. To be here to play and to win something for the DR would be something really, really special.

Q. With your experience in the previous Classics where you participated, what can you tell these players to try to be successful and win the tournament? This is not like a regular season; this tournament is very short, only for 10, 11 days, and there will be a knockout phase after the qualifiers.

MANNY MACHADO: It is important to play well from the very beginning. We have talented players. So many players. We have 26 players that are able to win. Everyone just has to do their own job, and we are going to be in a very good position if we do that.

We are going to help each other to achieve that goal.

Q. I don't know if you can speak in public what you spoke with Jeremy Peña. It's very hard for him not to be here. What did you say to Jeremy Peña, you as a captain?

MANNY MACHADO: Yes, that hurt him, because you always want to represent your country. He wanted to be here very badly, and he got that injury. No one desires that. But we are humans, and we are wishing the best to him, in this case, health.

It hurts him not to be here, but being with us in the clubhouse, this is great energy to us. He's going to be there with us. We are going to have him in our hearts all the way until the end.

But health is the most important thing for us as players. But he will be in our hearts in the clubhouse.