USA: World Baseball Classic 2026 Preview -

If I ever discuss the World Baseball Classic with non-baseball buddies, they assume Team USA just turns up and collects the trophy.

You and me, as wise baseball fans, know that’s not true. But still… look at the roster the USA is rolling out for 2026.

The 2023 script was almost Hollywood. In fact, it was too Hollywood; the best movies avoid clichéd endings.

The All-American roster of household names suffered the indignity of defeat to Mexico in their opening pool game. And you can’t tell me that there wasn’t an extra edge, given the not-so-distant echoes of “They’re bringing drugs. They’re bringing crime. They’re rapists.”

The star of the movie bounced back in the quarter and semi, setting up the final everyone wanted – USA vs Japan. Box office viewing.

If Mike Trout hadn’t been outfoxed by Shohei Ohtani in that now-iconic at-bat, we’d be talking about Japan and the USA tied on two WBC titles each. Instead? Japan sits on three. The USA is level with the Dominican Republic on one.

There is much at stake in this sequel. The Empire Strikes Back… and this time it’s personal.

World Baseball Classic: Pool B

Brazil
Great Britain
Italy
Mexico
USA

USA

WBC best results: Winner in 2017
Current world ranking: 3
Manager: Mark DeRosa

Mark DeRosa had a fascinating MLB career: 16 years, 4,000+ plate appearances, 10.6 WAR. No All-Star nods and only four seasons with an OPS+ over 100*… whatever he’s got, it’s special.

* For non-nerdy types, a 100 OPS+ is league average. DeRosa was only above average with the bat for four of his 16 seasons.

It’s hard to say how much credit goes to DeRosa for recruiting Aaron Judge, Tarik Skubal, and Paul Skenes… and how much is just them on their sofas jealously watching the 2023 WBC.

One thing’s clear: put the reigning MVP and a couple of Cy Young winners on the roster, and suddenly everyone wants in.

What happened at the last WBC?

The last WBC was a narrative rollercoaster. In the pool round, the USA gambled on a bullpen game against Mexico and got humbled by Arozarena’s Army. However, the minnows from Colombia, Great Britain, and Canada failed to prevent the USA from advancing to face Venezuela in the quarter-final.

More than 35,000 crammed into LoanDepot Park to watch Mookie Betts, Mike Trout, and Paul Goldschmidt score in the first inning, before Luis Arráez responded with a two-run homer. When Arráez went yard again – yes, a two-homer game from the slap-hitting Arráez – Venezuela enjoyed a 7-5 lead.

With the bases loaded, Trea Turner, the Phillies’ shortstop who would end the tournament with five home runs, drove the ball into the stands for another USA win.

The USA then crushed Cuba to set up the dream final.

It was cagey. Trea Turner’s solo homer was eclipsed by two runs from Kazuma Okamoto and another from fellow MLB newbie Munetaka Murakami. Kyle Schwarber pegged one back to set up the epic ninth inning.

Pitching Change: Shohei Ohtani replaces Yu Darvish.
Jeff McNeil walks – remember the score is USA 2-3 Japan
Pinch-runner Bobby Witt Jr. replaces Jeff McNeil.
Mookie Betts grounds into a double play
Mike Trout v Shohei Ohtani
Mike Trout strikes out swinging
USA finished as runner-up
I still have goosebumps thinking about it.

If you care for a reminder of the GB v USA game in 2023 – look no further than Ian Blease’s article about his trip to Phoenix.

USA: Three to watch

Aaron Judge: With three MVP Awards over the last four seasons, the Yankees captain is the most dangerous hitter on the planet. Over this period, he has slashed .311/.439/.679 – with a 209 OPS+. He’s prone to the occasional cold spell – he hit .183 in the 2024 postseason – but responded by batting .500 last October.

Alfredo Despaigne’s seven career WBC homers is the benchmark. If Judge gets hot for two weeks, that number is in danger.

Pete Crow-Armstrong: With the withdrawal of Corbin Carroll with a fractured hamate, PCA should be the starter – unless Roman Anthony gets the nod, pushing Crow-Armstrong into a late-inning chaos role.

The Cubs sensation is a defensive whizz and deservedly picked up the Gold Glove Award, but it was the damage he did with the bat in 2025 that caught us by surprise. He hit 31 homers, 91 runs, 95 RBI, and 35 stolen bases… and that came despite a second-half OPS that cratered by 200 points.

Paul Skenes: With 216 strikeouts in 188 innings, the 23-year-old was almost unplayable last season.

1.97 ERA
11 scoreless starts
Cy Young Award
… and he’s only getting better

Just imagine how good he will be with the elite defence of Team USA behind him. The WBC represents the biggest stage and the biggest audience for the Pirates’ superstar. Will he thrive or crack?

Potential X-factor

Tarik Skubal: The two-time Cy Young Award winner has improved his ERA in each of his six MLB seasons – that’s good, right? His presence on the roster could be the single biggest difference between the 2026 team and 2023.

At the last WBC, the starters were Merrill Kelly, Adam Wainwright, and Lance Lynn. That’s a different universe to this rotation. It feels like this team has been constructed with one outcome in mind: Skubal taking the ball in the final on 17 March.

Verdict

One of the underappreciated aspects of the WBC management is pitcher usage. Mark DeRosa has an arsenal of weapons, but he needs to maximise their potency within the WBC rules

Quick reminder on WBC pitcher rules:

Maximum of 65 pitches per outing in pool play
80 in the quarter-finals
95 in the semis and final

Throw 50+ pitches? That’s four days’ rest.
30+? Mandatory day off.
Pitch on consecutive days? You’re sitting the next one

DeRosa is a class act. He knows exactly who is pitching when – which makes it fascinating to look ahead to USA v Great Britain in Game Two – Saturday 7 March (well, actually, it’s 1am Sunday 8 March).

If Skubal is earmarked for the final and Skenes for the semi, they’ll line up for Pool Games Three and Four – Italy and Mexico.

That likely means Logan Webb or Joe Ryan gets Great Britain – cue Brad Marcelino loading up with lefties. Expect a couple of innings from the starter before someone like the Mets’ Nolan McLean or Matthew Boyd takes over.

There is absolutely no breathing room, as before you know it, you’re staring at the relief corps headlined by the easy-triple-digits of Mason Miller.

The depth and quality of the available pitchers might be the biggest difference between 2023 and 2026… and to think, they came oh so close.

The hitters are, of course, exceptional – it is a fantasy baseball lineup that you only see from dodgy commissioners. Full disclosure: I’m actually not convinced this lineup tops the Betts-and-Trout-in-their-prime one, but there are elite players in every position.

Perhaps the only problem DeRosa faces is keeping all of his superstars content. Will Smith (second choice catcher) hasn’t heard “take a seat” since high school. Gunnar Henderson (second choice shortstop) is not used to riding the pine or switching positions.

And talking about position switches, will Alex Bregman get time at second base, or does Bryce Turang’s glove get him the gig? Does Goldschmidt force Schwarber out of the DH spot against a tough lefty?

So many questions for DeRosa, but if he gets the answers right, the 2026 WBC should belong to the USA.

Oh, and don’t be surprised if Blue Jays Ernie Clement overshadows his more illustrious teammates to become the WBC folk hero.

Featured image of Kyle Schwarber by Megan Briggs/Getty Images

Don’t forget to check out the Bat Flips & Nerds WBC Preview podcast