The 2026 WBC (World Baseball Classic) U.S. national team unveiled its first-round starting rotation.
MLB.com, the official Major League Baseball outlet, reported on the 3rd (Korean time) that "the U.S. team has finalized a dazzling starting rotation. Manager Mark DeRosa said Logan Webb (San Francisco), Tarik Skubal (Detroit), Paul Skenes (Pittsburgh) and Nolan McLean (Mets) will start the four WBC pool games in that order," it reported.
The United States is indisputably the world's top baseball power. But in the WBC it has not achieved as much success as expected. In the 2006, 2009 and 2013 tournaments it reached the semifinals only once. It won its first championship in 2017, but in 2023 it lost to Japan and finished as runner-up.
To avenge Japan, led by MLB's top superstar Shohei Ohtani (Dodgers), the United States assembled a star-studded lineup for this tournament. In particular, to strengthen the pitching staff, which had been singled out as a weakness in each tournament, both Cy Young winners from the two major leagues, Skubal and Skenes, joined the U.S. team for the first time in history for this tournament.
Skubal won the American League Cy Young after going 13-6 with a 2.21 ERA in 31 starts (195 1/3 innings) last season. Skenes won the National League Cy Young after going 10-10 with a 1.97 ERA in 32 starts (187 2/3 innings).
Webb and McLean, who will join Skubal and Skenes in the starting rotation, are also top-level starters. Webb went 15-11 with a 3.22 ERA in 34 starts (207 innings) last season, and McLean made an impressive debut season after arriving in the big leagues last year, posting a 5-1 record with a 2.06 ERA in eight starts (48 innings).
The United States was placed in first-round Pool B alongside Brazil, Great Britain, Mexico and Italy. Starting with the opening game against Brazil on the 7th, they will face Great Britain on the 7th, Mexico on the 9th and Italy on the 10th. If DeRosa follows the announced rotation, Webb will start against Brazil, Skubal against Great Britain, Skenes against Mexico and McLean against Italy.
However, McLean may be replaced. MLB.com explained, "McLean has not been feeling well and missed a national team workout at Papago Park. DeRosa said McLean is currently at the Mets' camp in Fort Pierce, Florida, and they will monitor his condition."
DeRosa, who assembled the most star-studded U.S. starting staff in WBC history, said, "There is no doubt these players change the complexion of our team. I don't mean to disparage other players. The important thing is that players want to play in this tournament. Players who need to be courted and have schedules arranged for them when you contact them are not suited for the WBC."
Saying "Skenes made my job much easier by deciding quickly," DeRosa added, "Skubal had to be approached slowly. I contacted him about once every two months throughout the year."
Skubal, who will become a free agent after this season, plans to pitch one first-round game and then return to his club's camp. Despite that, DeRosa expressed gratitude that Skubal agreed to play for the U.S. team. "When you think about what might await him, it's really a big deal," he said, noting, "He won the Cy Young two years in a row and could sign a $500 million (about 733.4 billion won) contract next offseason. For a player like that to step up for our country is significant. Even if it's just one game, there are risks. The fact that he took that risk to be with us has made the team very happy. He might even pitch one more game."
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