The hype for this year’s WBC is through the roof. We have got some of the strongest versions of every team, especially Team USA, who are loaded with stars like Aaron Judge and Tarik Skubal. And the USA government is making sure to hype their team when it matters.

The White House’s official X handle posted a video of American players hitting Bombs with the caption, “Pure American dominance.”

Team USA enters the 2026 World Baseball Classic with a lineup built around Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, and Bobby Witt Jr.

Those nine projected starters combined for a .274 average, .368 on base, .532 slugging, and 146 wRC+ in 2025. Bryce Harper, Gunnar Henderson, Alex Bregman, Byron Buxton, Roman Anthony, and Kyle Schwarber deepen that lineup further. Numbers like 146 wRC+ place this offense above every previous Team USA lineup entering the tournament.

Those expectations grew louder once the Americans faced MLB teams in exhibition games before the tournament.

Team USA defeated the San Francisco Giants 15-1 in an 11-inning WBC exhibition game at Scottsdale Stadium. Aaron Judge opened the scoring with a two-run single before Alex Bregman and Roman Anthony homered. Paul Skenes struck out 4 in 3 innings while the bullpen added 8 strikeouts afterward. The Giants finished with only 6 hits and 9 total bases against the American pitching staff.

Momentum carried into the next exhibition when Team USA defeated the Colorado Rockies 14-4.

The Americans scored 29 runs across two games while allowing only 5 runs total. Aaron Judge began that game with a first-inning home run before Alex Bregman and Will Smith added more power. Paul Goldschmidt and Byron Buxton also homered as the Americans finished with 5 total home runs. Results like those showed how this lineup can overwhelm even MLB-level pitching depth.

Still, the memory that drives this team lives in the final moments of 2023. Japan defeated the United States 3-2 after Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to win. That loss left the Americans with a 5-2 tournament record but no championship trophy.

The United States has only one WBC title, winning the 2017 final 8-0 against Puerto Rico. With stronger pitching, deeper hitters, and recent exhibition dominance, 2026 feels like their clearest chance yet.

Mark DeRosa gives his take on Team USA and the WBC chances

Team USA is stacked, the hype is unreal, and Mark DeRosa is beaming with confidence. Mark DeRosa has made Team USA’s target clear before the 2026 World Baseball Classic begins.

He said, “There’s a tidal wave of emotion trying to win this thing,” reflecting the clubhouse mood. The United States has played every WBC since 2006, but owns just 1 title. That lone championship came in 2017, when the Americans defeated Puerto Rico to claim gold.

That urgency grew after the painful finish in the 2023 World Baseball Classic championship game.

DeRosa later admitted that moment stayed with him and shaped how he built this roster. He said his recruiting talks felt different because players strongly wanted redemption together.

DeRosa first managed Team USA during the 2023 World Baseball Classic and guided them to the final.

He now returns for 2026, again leading a roster filled with MLB stars. The tournament opener against Brazil in Houston begins another run toward the championship. Inside that dugout, the message remains simple and direct: winning the whole thing