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The 2023 World Baseball Classic is here and will provide us with some meaningful baseball games before spring. Panama will take on the Netherlands at Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium in Taiwan on Wednesday night. With that said, it’s a good time to check out our WBC odds series, which includes a Panama-Netherlands prediction and pick, laid out below.
Panama opened their WBC with a convincing 12-5 victory over host Taiwan. The Panama roster is littered with both former and current big leaguers, headlined by former Met Ruben Tejada. The pitching staff is made up of a collection of impressive arms.
The Netherlands has some of the most star power in the tournament, headlined by new Padre Xander Bogaerts. In the first game of the 2023 WBC, the Netherlands defeated Cuba by a narrow margin of 4-2. Nearly the entire roster has spent time in the big leagues or is a current minor leaguer.
Here are the Panama-Netherlands WBC odds, courtesy of DraftKings.
2023 WBC Odds: Panama-Netherlands Odds
Panama: +1.5 (-115)
Netherlands: -1.5 (-105)
Over: 8.5 (-110)
Under: 8.5 (-110)
How To Watch Panama vs. Netherlands
TV: FOX Sports 2
Stream: FOX Sports Go
Time: 11:00 PM ET/ 8:00 PM PT
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Why Panama Could Cover The Spread
Ruben Tejada, who was once in the news for breaking his leg on a hard Chase Utley slide, hit an RBI single in the opening game. Tejada spent parts of nine seasons in the MLB, hitting .250 with solid defense at shortstop. Catcher Ivan Herrera, who may be the heir apparent to Yadier Molina in St. Louis, is another name to watch. Herrera saw some time in the majors in 2022, but projects to be a solid catcher at his peak. Christian Bethancourt and Jonathan Arauz are the two biggest name current big leaguers in the lineup. Bethancourt belted 11 home runs in just 318 at-bats last season, splitting his time with the Athletics and Rays. Allen Cordoba spent 2017 in the big leagues with the Padres, bouncing around as minor league depth since that year.
Hard-throwing Colorado Rockie Justin Lawrence is the headliner of the Panama pitching staff. Lawrence possesses a dominant 100 mph fastball, but his lack of control may hold him back from becoming a star closer. Jamie Barria has pitched nearly 400 innings for the Los Angeles Angels since 2018, posting a 2.61 ERA as a long reliever last season.
Why Netherlands Could Cover The Spread
Bogaerts is clearly the headliner, especially after signing a lucrative contract with San Diego in the offseason. Bogaerts is one of the better infielders in the league, hitting 156 career home runs. DiDi Gregorius and Jonathan Schoop are two other big names in the infield, both hitting over 100 home runs in their MLB careers. Wladimir Blanentin is the team's ultimate power threat, totaling 340 home runs in 15 seasons of foreign competition. Blanentin hit 3o home runs in a season as recently as 2019 when he was playing in Japan. Chadwick Tromp has hit five home runs in less than 100 big league at-bats, yet another power threat in the lineup.
Jair Jurrjens is the biggest name on the pitching staff, winning 53 games across eight big league seasons. Franklin Van Gurp, Kevin Kelly, and Antwone Kelly are three other names that should be recognizable for fans. Van Gurp captivated the internet with his filth in the opener.
Final Panama-Netherlands Prediction & Pick
The Netherlands should cover this spread to stay undefeated.
Final Panama-Netherlands Prediction & Pick: Netherlands -1.5 (-105); Over 8.5 (-110)
