Canada’s World Baseball Classic game against Panama will begin an hour later, changing when fans and broadcasters can expect Jameson Taillon on the mound. 8 p. m. ET — Baseball Canada announced the game will start at 8 p. m. ET instead of the originally scheduled 7 p. m. ET.
Immediate effect: Jameson Taillon’s start delayed to the new 8 p. m. ET time
The delay shifts the timing for Chicago Cubs right-hander Jameson Taillon, who Canada is turning to start the game; Taillon is representing Canada for a second time in this World Baseball Classic and is a 34-year-old Florida-born, Texas-raised pitcher. The revised start time was set shortly before first pitch when Baseball Canada announced the game would begin in a rain delay.
Panama counter: Jaime Barria to take the hill and Panama sits 0-2
Panama will hand the ball to former big-leaguer Jaime Barria, and Panama enters the matchup 0-2 after losses to Cuba and Puerto Rico. That standing frames this game as a must-win opportunity for Panama while Canada looks to build momentum after its opening result.
Canada’s position: coming off a win over Colombia and rooted in family meaning for Taillon
Canada opened its tournament with a win over Colombia on Saturday, and Taillon has said wearing the Maple Leaf honors his grandmother, Agnes Kormendy, who fled Hungary and found refuge in Canada in 1949 and later died in 2018; she wrote a book about her life to share with her family. The World Baseball Classic is running March 5-17 in Miami, Houston, San Juan and Tokyo, and Taillon has said he wanted to represent Canada again when the timing was right.
Closing: The game is scheduled to start Sunday at 8 p. m. ET; if the game begins as announced, Jameson Taillon will be the scheduled starter for Canada in that evening window.
