Geraldo Perdomo Involved in Controversial Final Out of WBC Semifinal

With two outs in the World Baseball Classic semifinal, Arizona Diamondbacks All-Star shortstop Geraldo Perdomo took ball four from Team USA fireballer Mason Miller. There was only one problem: it was called strike three, and the game ended.

A walk would have extended the inning, allowing Team Dominican Republic to extend the contest further in hopes of a walk-off thriller to advance to the final. Perdomo's reaction said it all.

TEAM USA WINS IT IN A 2-1 NAIL-BITER AGAINST THE D.R.!!!

They’ll play the winner of Italy vs. Venezuela tomorrow night.#WorldBaseballClassic pic.twitter.com/kJ5yH07SgK
— Matt Davis (@ByMattDavis) March 16, 2026

Of course, if this had been either a Cactus League game or an MLB regular season game, Perdomo would have merely needed to tap his head for an ABS Challenge. The ABS Challenge System was not implemented in the WBC this year, however.

Arizona Diamondbacks Geraldo Perdomo Becomes Final out of WBC Semifinal

*Furiously taps head for ABS*

Poor ‘Domo pic.twitter.com/xkEzJp81by
— Arizona Diamondbacks | Stats & Info (@DbacksStatsInfo) March 16, 2026

It was an eight-pitch at-bat that began with a 1-2 count — a type of battle that Perdomo has relished over his years with the D-backs. It was the exact type of calm, clutch showing fans in Arizona have been used to over the past few seasons.

Certainly, Team USA brought its fair share of tough pitchers. Paul Skenes made the start, and Miller is a nearly-unhittable back-end relief arm. But there still lingers a sense that Perdomo's efforts were cut short.

Perdomo went 1-for-3 in the game, though he had admittedly been having a tough WBC in totality. The D-backs' starting shortstop hit a mere .231 in the tournament, although he did work a .474 on-base percentage as a result of his five walks.

Perdomo's teammate and fellow Diamondbacks star Ketel Marte went 2-for-4 in Sunday's game, he had a bit more success in his WBC run, going .263/.423/.474 with a two-run run homer.

As disappointing as it may be to see a Dominican Republic team so full of Diamondbacks players be eliminated, there is a silver lining: Arizona's stars will now return to Salt River Fields in Scottsdale to prepare for the regular season.

Players had already begun to trickle back in to D-backs camp. Outfielder Alek Thomas (Team Mexico) and RHP Michael Soroka (Team Canada) have both returned. Nolan Arenado (Team Puerto Rico) is expected to be back in camp Tuesday.

"It's nice to see these athletes," manager Torey Lovullo said Sunday. "It's nice to get our guys back, fill up our roster. Our roster has been depleting by the day with some of the sendouts."

"It's a very refreshing list and looks very full, and it's a lot of really good names," he said. "I've missed seeing those guys."