HOUSTON — The preliminaries are over, with Team USA easily dismissing the first two cupcakes in its path. Now comes the heavyweight bout that everyone wants to see.
It will be the Americans against Team Mexico in front of a raucous sellout crowd Monday at Daikin Park with the winner virtually guaranteed to finish atop Pool B in this 2026 World Baseball Classic.
“I know people are definitely looking forward to the U.S.-Mexico game because they have a fantastic team over there,’ USA captain Aaron Judge said. “We can’t wait. The boys are pumped up.’
Team USA (2-0) set the stage Saturday by routing Great Britain, 9-1, just 24 hours after thrashing Brazil, 15-5. Mexico (1-0) is scheduled to play Sunday against Brazil while the U.S. has the day off.
“The U.S. has had their hands full with them in this tournament the last couple of installments of it,’ USA manager Mark DeRosa said. “I certainly haven’t forgotten about it.’
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It’s a memory DeRosa would love to erase. Mexico has beaten Team USA three times in the last four WBC events, including an 11-5 victory in 2023 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
“Yeah, I won’t forget that game,’ said Kyle Schwarber, who broke open Saturday’s win in the fifth inning with an upper-deck home run. “That was a pretty cool one. Never seen the Arizona stadium sold out, a sold-out electric feeling. Looking forward to our next matchup here.’
Certainly, while the Americans respect Mexico, there’s no fear, or even the slightest bit of apprehension. They believe they’re the most talented team in the WBC, and are looking forward to proving it, winning the championship after losing to Japan in the finals in 2023.
“Honestly, I think we have the best 30 players in the world in that clubhouse,’ DeRosa said, “and they’re coming together as a team. I don’t really think it’s going to matter who [Mexico] starts. We’re going to put a lineup out there and get after it.’
Mexico, which lost to Japan in the semifinals in 2023, can certainly pick up some valuable tips from the USA’s victory Saturday over Great Britain.
Great Britain was actually leading USA, 1-0, after Nate Eaton stunned two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal by hitting the first pitch of the game over the left-field wall for a homer.
It was the only mistake Skubal made, but entering the bottom of the fifth inning, they still led 1-0 with USA producing just two harmless singles.
“I was sitting on a top step with [third-base coach] Dino Ebel the inning before,’ DeRosa said. “He goes, we just need something, just a walk, something, and explode.’
Boom, with one out in the fifth inning, it happened. Ernie Clement hit a routine ground ball to Great Britain third baseman Ivan Johnson. Clement hustled down the line, and Johnson airmailed the throw. Clement was safe. Manager Brad Marcelino took out reliever Najer Victor, who had been dominant for 1 1/3 innings, and brought in Andre Scrubb.
But before Victor left the game, he did a little trash-talking, feeling pretty good about himself after striking out Aaron Judge, Bryce Harper and Gunnar Henderson in the fourth inning, and then Roman Anthony to lead off the fifth inning.
“When their reliever turned and looked in our dugout and had a couple of choice words,’ DeRosa said, “I think that lit the lineup up as well.’
Just like that, Team USA’s offense went off. Pete Crow-Armstrong doubled. Schwarber homered. Alex Bregman doubled. Henderson hit a two-run double.
With three unearned runs, the U.S. went up 5-1 in the fifth, made it 8-1 in the sixth, and cruised the rest of the way.
“I think the emotional side of that is what we’re wearing across our chest, USA,’ Schwarber said. “And obviously the guys we have on our team, we’ve done a really good job of coming together.
“We know that it’s short, but for us to go where we want to go, we all need to play together and go from there.’
Next up: Mexico.
“Respect for them,’ DeRosa said. “I was in this in 2023, and they woke us up in a big way. Ton of respect for the way they played the game.’
But back in 2023, Paul Skenes was still in college.
Now, he’s the defending NL Cy Young winner and will be starting for Team USA.
“Obviously, it’s going to be a big atmosphere,’ Skenes said. “It will be a good chance to see where I’m at, too. But the biggest thing is just going out there and executing. Looking forward to it.’
Skenes is scheduled to pitch one more time after Monday providing USA advances, and will start in the semifinals in Miami. USA starter Nolan McLean, who has made only eight career starts with the New York Mets, is tentatively scheduled for the WBC championship game.
Yet, if Skubal changes his mind and decides to pitch one more time in this WBC, the championship game will belong to him. If he keeps with his current plan and returns to the Detroit Tigers’ camp to keep in line for the Tigers’ season opener without pitching again in the WBC, well, that’s fine by his teammates, too.
“We’re wearing USA across our chest,’ Skenes said. “That should be enough. But we’ve got a guy who’s going out there, putting himself out there for us, for the country. That’s pretty cool stuff.
“If this game were just about Tarik, he’s sitting in Lakeland right now watching the WBC. But it’s not about him. It’s not about me. It’s not about any of us. It’s a whole lot bigger than us.
“I’m glad he answered the call.’