USA-Puerto Rico: 3 things to know

Eight years to the day since their first World Baseball Classic meeting, the United States and Puerto Rico - Pool F's two remaining undefeated squads - square off on Friday in a matchup that could very likely determine who moves on to Los Angeles.

With Venezuela all but out of the conversation after Thursday's loss, both the USA and Puerto Rico need this win badly, and the emotions from both sides should be high in San Diego

Here are three things to know ahead of Friday's critical contest:

Starting hot

In a tournament built for deep bullpens thanks to pitch counts, Friday's game might come down to which starter has the better evening in an intriguing matchup.

The U.S. has made it this far in large part thanks to its impressive starting rotation - this despite missing perhaps the best pitcher on the planet in Clayton Kershaw - and once again America's hopes will likely be pinned on the shoulders of Friday's starter. It's a good thing Marcus Stroman is taking the hill, then, because the diminutive Toronto Blue Jays ace was larger than life in his impressive WBC debut against the Dominicans last week. Stroman loves the pressure situations, as evidenced by both his WBC performance to date and his work in the playoffs since 2015, so manager Jim Leyland has to feel confident he's got the right man on the hill.

Puerto Rico is hoping lightning can strike twice when Seth Lugo toes the rubber for his second start of the tournament. In his first outing, Lugo - who has just 17 big-league games under his belt - shocked a loaded Venezuela lineup with 5 1/3 innings of one-hit shutout ball, and impressively conserved his pitch count in that contest. Now Lugo has 80 pitches to work with instead of 65, which works in his favor if he can build off that first outing; on the other hand, he's getting a red-hot U.S. lineup instead of Venezuela in the tournament's opening game.

Out for revenge

Four years ago, it certainly looked like the Americans finally had the right team to win the WBC - until it ran into the Puerto Ricans twice in the 2013 tournament's second round. Puerto Rico shocked the U.S. that year in the second-round semifinal (it was a double-elimination format) by stifling a pair of late-inning rallies to clinch a berth in the final round. Adam Jones, Giancarlo Stanton, and Eric Hosmer - all returning members from that 2013 U.S. team - probably remember that loss very well. While a loss won't eliminate Puerto Rico, the Americans would probably love nothing more than to finally avenge that defeat from four years ago and make the road to Los Angeles for their island territory just a little bit tougher.

Setting up Saturday

Nobody will be eliminated out of this game, but one of these teams is going to make things a lot easier on themselves with a victory. A win for either 1-0 team all but clinches the victor a spot in Los Angeles; for the losing side, things get more complex. A U.S. win means it faces the Dominicans on Saturday at the top of Pool F, with a bit more breathing room at 2-0; it would also keep hope in Venezuela alive, and give the Puerto Rico-Venezuela contest some more importance. Should Puerto Rico keep its undefeated WBC run going, Venezuela's out and that game, barring something crazy, would become but a tuneup for Edwin Rodriguez's side - while the U.S. and Dominican would be forced to put it all on the line for the fourth semifinal berth. There's a lot at stake for everyone on Friday, meaning the Americans and Puerto Ricans would be wise to play this one as though it's a final.