Yeah, Team USA is really good.
The U.S. played an exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants today, winning 15-1 (!) in what was a dominant effort from start to finish. Even once the subs came in—heck, even a Giants prospect named R.J. Dabovich, who wore a Team USA uniform for the day, pitched well—everything was smooth sailing for the favorites in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Watching Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper, and Aaron Judge all hit in succession in the top of the first inning was a dream come true. Witt slapped a single to left field to lead off the game. Harper then drove a double to the opposite field to put runners at second and third for Judge, who singled both of them home to put the U.S. up 2-0. Even though this game was just a simple exhibition with absolutely zero stakes, it was one of those sports moments that I think I’ll remember for the rest of my life. Three of the greatest hitters on the planet working in perfect harmony. What a joy!
That top of the order produced a total of six hits and four RBIs throughout the game against the Giants, who were overmatched throughout the entirety of the afternoon. It’s not their fault, obviously. This USA team is built to be the best there ever was. No other lineup—past or present—can compare to the one that the United States is rolling out there on a daily basis. Today’s performance reinforced that.
I was extremely impressed with Roman Anthony1. Anthony, who figures to be one of the Boston Red Sox’s key pieces this season and was added to the U.S. roster late in the process due to Arizona Diamondbacks outfielder Corbin Carroll suffering an injury to his hamate bone, absolutely smashed a two-run homer in the sixth. That thing flew so far, I’m not sure that the camera even caught where it landed. If Anthony can be as productive as he was with Boston throughout the latter half of last season, then this lineup becomes even deeper than it already is.
Speaking of homers, Alex Bregman also put one into the seats. Bregman is obviously one of the best hitters in the world, but I was still somewhat wary of what he could accomplish at the WBC this year. Maybe that’s because I’m a Rangers fan and I’m still jaded at him being an ex-Astro. Regardless, he proved me wrong—at least in the short term—with his performance today in Scottsdale.
Another thing we learned from this exhibition is that Paul Skenes is not invincible, but man, he is one of the best pitchers on the planet. Pretty much all of Skenes’ pitches were working, which is nuts because it was evident he wasn’t going full throttle. Other than a first-inning run that came about via a leadoff double by Willie Adames (no shame in that; Adames is a quality hitter), Skenes shut the door on San Francisco for three innings. He struck out four, walked none, and left the U.S. faithful feeling grateful that he was a part of the team. With him on the bump, everything feels possible for Team USA’s pitching prospects at this tournament.
The same can be said for Matthew Boyd, who had a phenomenal day as well. He threw 2 2/3 innings, striking out four batters and allowing two hits. He didn’t allow a run. Boyd should be able to provide the U.S. with quality length out of the bullpen, which is extremely necessary given the limited pitch counts that some of the starters will have throughout the entirety of the tournament.
David Bednar, Mason Miller, Griffin Jax, and Gabe Speier all threw one inning apiece and looked good as well. I’m especially excited to watch Miller pitch in this thing. Whew, boy, is he a fun pitcher to see in person.
I left this exhibition feeling even better about Team USA’s chances of winning the WBC than I already did. For one, the lineup appeared dominant, and the pitching was pretty stout as well. Also, many other international teams didn’t fare as well in their exhibition matchups with other MLB squads. For instance, Team Canada lost 10-7 to the Toronto Blue Jays; the Pittsburgh Pirates—who are projected to be one of the worst teams in baseball this summer—beat Colombia 7-1; and the New York Yankees demolished Panama 11-1. It’s easy to look at those results and write off those teams in the tournament, but just remember that these are just exhibitions. Heck, even Japan—one of the favorites in the event and the reigning champions—lost to the Orix Buffaloes in a scrimmage the other day. It’s baseball; weird things happen. The sun will come up tomorrow, and everything will change.
That being said, it’d be a disaster if the U.S. didn’t win this tournament. This is the best roster I’ve ever seen with my own two eyes, and watching it demolish the Giants only convinced me more of its prowess.
The U.S. will kick off its WBC journey on Friday, March 6, versus Brazil at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas. Logan Webb is the scheduled pitcher for Team USA in what should be a victory for the red, white, and blue. Because Brazil is not nearly as good as the Giants—and that’s saying something. (No offense, Giants fans! I just have little faith.)
Team Italy missing out on Roman Anthony, who has Italian heritage via his grandparents and was eligible to play for them, is an absolute travesty. His name is literally Roman! Oh well. Their loss is Team USA’s gain.
Judge can’t escape the championship or bust 😂😂