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Each team in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) has its own unique home run celebrations, whether it’s a special jacket from the Dominican Republic or coordinated handshakes with Team USA.
But Team Italy may have the best of all – the players take an espresso shot made by a machine sitting right in the dugout.
That’s about as Italian as it gets.
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Dante Nori of Italy celebrates in the dugout after hitting a home run in the seventh inning against Brazil during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game between Brazil and Italy at Daikin Park on March 7, 2026 in Houston, Texas. (Kenneth Richmond/Getty Images)
The machine sits towards the end of the dugout, but players and coaches can get their quick caffeine fix. And it’s nothing new from this group.
During WBC 2023, there was a Nespresso machine in the dugout and the team succeeded. They made it out of their group stage for just the second time ever in the tournament.
So why not bring it back?
First baseman Vinnie Pasquantino, who stars for the Kansas City Royals, seems to be ringleader with the machine when a player also goes yard. After making the player who hit the home run an espresso shot, he gives them a kiss on both cheeks – a traditional sign of affection from the Italians.
“In Italy, we drink coffee about 20 times a day,” manager Francisco Cervelli, who used to catch in the big leagues, said via MLB.com. “It’s a tradition. You walk down the road. You see a coffee place, get some coffee. Then you chat, and then you keep walking and doing the same thing over and over again. That’s Italy.”
Vinnie Pasquantino of Team Italy holds an espresso shot during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game presented by Capital One between Team Brazil and Team Italy at Daikin Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB)
Cervelli, who became Italy’s manager in January 2025, said the espresso machine “goes with us everywhere”, and he also learned that with the European Championship in baseball last year.
“It’s something normal. We got it on the bus. We’ve had it in the grave everywhere.”
Superstition or not, Italy has seen early success in Houston’s Pool B, which also features Team USA. They are 2-0 in the tournament so far, defeating Brazil, 8-0, and defeating Great Britain, 7-4, on Sunday.
Dante Nori of Team Italy drinks an espresso shot in the dugout after hitting a home run in the eighth inning during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Pool B game presented by Capital One between Team Brazil and Team Italy at Daikin Park on Saturday, March 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Rob Tringali/WBCI/MLB)
Italy’s next contest will be against Team USA on Tuesday night at 20 A.M.
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