The United States, which lost its second straight World Baseball Classic (WBC) victory right in front of its eyes, is already looking ahead three years later. Captain Mike Trout has already committed to the 2026 WBC. Big league stars who watched the WBC on TV are predicting that they will compete in an international competition, not an exhibition game, in March three years later. The local media in the US also predicted the strongest team that the US could make in 3 years.
The American sports media The Athletic prepared the 2026 WBC US roster in advance on the 23rd (Korean time). The players who will be at their peak three years later also formed a 30-member roster to be announced on March 1, 2026. Rather than putting only young players on the roster, a new structure was sought for veterans and newcomers who experienced the WBC. From Aaron Judge, who surpassed Shohei Ohtani to win the American League MVP last year, Gerrit Cole, who will serve as an ace, was included in the national team roster. Adley Luchman and Gunner Henderson, who are still in their early 20s but are expected to make big strides in three years, have also entered the roster.
The expected lineup was as follows. Mookie Betts (2nd baseman) – Mike Trout (left fielder) – Aaron Judge (right fielder) – Bryce Harper (designated hitter) – Pete Alonzo (1st baseman) – Austin Riley (3rd baseman) – Adley Luchman (catcher) – Trey Turner (shortstop) to Michael Harris III (center fielder), about half of which did not play in the 2023 WBC.
As if expressing regret at the absence of Judge and Harper at the 2023 WBC, Judge and Harper were placed behind the trout to form a powerful top line. Harper, who won the National League MVP in 2021, wanted to participate in the 2023 WBC, but was unable to wear the US National Team uniform due to recovery and rehabilitation following elbow surgery.
The position that needs more reinforcement than the fielding staff is the pitching staff. In the 2023 WBC, the United States did not have the best pitching staff. For example, none of the pitchers who have won the Cy Young Award in the last five years have worn a uniform for the U.S. national team. Last year’s National League Cy Young Award winner Sandy Alcantara represented Dominica on the WBC stage.
As if conscious of this,메이저사이트 six starters from Corbin Burns, Gerrit Cole, Max Fried, Spencer Strider, Alec Manoa, and Shane McLahan were included in the expected roster. Burns is the 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner. And five of them, excluding Cole, will be in their late 20s and early 30s, their prime as pitchers three years later. Power pitchers like Japan’s Shohei Ohtani and Rocky Sashiki were expected to recognize the lack of ham and counterattack with Cole and Strider.
Competition is an integral part of sports. Fans are passionate about hot competition, and teams and players develop through competition. At the time of the announcement of the 2023 WBC roster, the United States, which shouted ‘all in’ but failed to win two consecutive games, is expected to build a stronger roster three years later.