WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: QUARTERFINALS 4 - VENEZUELA VS JAPAN

March 14, 2026

Maikel Garcia

LoanDepot Park

Team Venezuela

Pregame Press Conference

Q. Maikel, you have played very important games in Venezuela and in the Majors, including playoff game, but the game today, in your career ranking, where would you put this game?

MAIKEL GARCIA: Number 1. It's going to be a great game for us and for the whole country, and we have to do our best today because there is no tomorrow.

Q. You have a characteristic, which is to be cold blooded in key moments. My question: Were you born with that or did you learn that? Did you read that? I know that you read a lot to improve. How can you stay so calm in situations where so many people lose their patience?

MAIKEL GARCIA: Just calm down, breathing. It's going to be a game with a lot of anxiety, and I try to breathe calmly. I have proven that in the games that we have played here, and we'll try to win today.

Q. Maikel, how much have you enjoyed this experience playing with Venezuela in the WBC and just getting this far to play into the quarterfinals?

MAIKEL GARCIA: I mean, I think this is a great moment to show who Venezuela is. We have a great time, and I'm enjoying every single time I'm with the boys.

I never had the opportunity before to represent Venezuela in the past, so I'm doing it now in the best baseball in the world. So it's a goal for me.

Q. Another characteristic of yours, Maikel, is that you have worked very hard to be among the best, and it seems to me that this is what you project. Do you like competing against the best players? You are going to face very good players today. The feeling before this kind of a game, thinking about your competitive character, how do you feel? How would you describe those feelings?

MAIKEL GARCIA: The place I come from, we are born with that characteristic, to be competitive every day no matter where you are playing or what you are playing. I love facing the best rivals.

I proved that in the latest game against the Dominican Republic. I want to show who I am and what Venezuela is. We have talented players. To let the world know that Venezuela is among the best in sports.

Q. Today Yamamoto is going to be the starting pitcher, one of the best pitchers in the previous season in the Majors. How to approach him in order to be successful? I don't know whether the scouts have told you anything about it. And Question number two, about yourself, before the Classic you said that you were willing to play as an outfielder just to be part of the team, but you have been the regular third base. Is that important to you?

MAIKEL GARCIA: Everybody knows Yamamoto. We all know that he's one of the best pitchers, but we have a great team. They play in the Majors, so how we are going to face him, I cannot tell. I cannot tell right now.

And being part of my team, yes, I have always done that. I am living a dream playing third base, but I am willing to play in another position. I just wanted to be part of this group.

(FastScripts by ASAP Sports)