Once again, Bryce Harper and Team USA came up just short in their quest for a World Baseball Classic championship.
That didn’t stop Harper from displaying sportsmanship after the heartbreak. Harper, who hit a massive game-tying home run in the eighth inning, briefly joined Venezuela’s postgame celebration to congratulate the players on their country’s first WBC title.
“I want to win gold, just like anybody else,” Harper said, according to USA TODAY’s Bob Nightingale. “But at the end of the night, man, they did it. They won. All the congratulations to them and what they did, and they fought hard, they played a great game. I got nothing but respect for them.”
Respect 🫡
Bryce Harper congratulated players from Team Venezuela following their #WorldBaseballClassic championship win 👏 pic.twitter.com/pnAdx94oi2
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
Harper certainly had a great game himself, finishing 2 for 4 with the aforementioned home run. Here’s a look at the play that nearly swung the game in the Americans’ favor:
BRYCE HARPER TIES THE GAME FOR TEAM USA! pic.twitter.com/zRVBaURBTm
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 18, 2026
Harper and the Americans will look for redemption in the next World Baseball Classic, which is slated for 2030.
This article originally appeared on For The Win: Bryce Harper congratulates Venezuela in classy reaction to WBC loss