Team USA made a crucial slip-up on Tuesday, falling to Italy, 8-6, in the fourth game of 2026 World Baseball Classic pool play, despite the team's late comeback efforts. And this lack of focus from USA may be coming from the top. Before the game, manager Mark DeRosa erroneously said that Team USA had already punched their ticket to the quarterfinal of the competition.
“It’s weird. We want to win this game even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals.” -Team USA manager Mark DeRosa earlier today
Team USA’s ticket was not, in fact, punched to the quarterfinals, and now they’re in danger of missing out pic.twitter.com/xMPAdLODTY
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 11, 2026
They had, in fact, not yet qualified for the knockout stage. They would be eliminated from the competition if Mexico wins by a low margin that USA would end up having the worst runs allowed mark among all three 3-1 teams. All would be well if Italy defeats Mexico, but in a single baseball game, anything can happen.
After the game, DeRosa apologized for miscalculating, which may have led to the team playing with a greater sense of complacency.
“I misspoke. I was on Hot Stove with a couple of buddies today and completely misread the calculations. We knew that Mexico was gonna play Italy and then running all the numbers that if we lost tonight with the runs allowed and runs scored and outs. I just misspoke,” DeRosa said, via Talkin' Baseball on X (formerly Twitter).
“I misspoke… Completely misread the calculations.”
Manager Mark DeRosa confirms he did not know Team USA could still be eliminated during pool play pic.twitter.com/n5Gbo3SxcB
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) March 11, 2026
Team USA's World Baseball Classic journey is at the mercy of Mexico-Italy
An Italy win over Mexico would ease any and all concerns for Team USA. But the fact that USA no longer has their fate in their hands is such a terrible development for one of the favorites in the competition.
This just shows how much the league has caught up to Team USA and how the gap between them and the rest of the world is rapidly shrinking. And it doesn't help that DeRosa, someone who should be locked in as the head of the team, is not fully aware of the reality that his team is facing.
