On what was supposed to be a night where redemption would be accomplished, the wound only grew deeper.
Tuesday night saw Venezuela lift its first-ever WBC championship in the most improbable of ways. The “Vinotinto” celebrated, wrapped in their flags at loanDepot Park, as the baseball world cheered for their incredible accomplishment. However, where does this leave Mark DeRosa’s squad?
Back-to-back Championship Game appearances are evidently an outstanding feat, yet consecutive defeats are not. This team had too much talent at its disposal but was, once again, one swing away from powering through and delivering ultimate glory to the USA. One is left to wonder: where did it all go wrong?
The easiest scapegoat is, without a doubt, Mark DeRosa. Several mistakes were made on his behalf even before the first pitch was delivered. He unexpectedly gave starts to Alex Bregman (.143/.364/.214 with a .578 OPS) and Byron Buxton (.000/.357/.000 with a .666 OPS) who, to put it kindly, had been incredibly disappointing throughout the tournament. Leaving Gunnar Henderson and Pete Crow-Armstrong as bench pieces was a monumental mistake, and it certainly cost them in the end.
However, we cannot discuss this failure without mentioning the pathetic display from the team’s captain: Aaron Judge. His horrendous 2026 WBC performance will forever be intertwined with his unforgettable mistake in Game 5 of the 2024 World Series. Judge was abysmal every time he stepped up to the plate in a “clutch” situation, and he is ultimately a major reason why the U.S. is not on the other side of the podium. In the Championship Game, he went 0-for-4, sprinkled with three strikeouts—not what you want from your supposed leader. Bryce Harper might have been a culprit, but he escaped criticism after delivering the team’s biggest swing of the competition. Kyle Schwarber and Cal Raleigh also deserve their share of blame when assessing the result.
The USA was obligated to bring the trophy back home—a feat that has only happened once, in 2017—especially after defeating the other favorites, the Dominican Republic. This is an epic failure, and heads will likely roll to ensure this doesn’t become a “three-peat” of second-place finishes.
What a complete disaster.
Leave a Reply