After the 8-6 loss against Team Italy in the WBC, the future of Team USA is not in their hands anymore. And with all the tensions between Team Mexico and Team USA, one insider thinks that the best option is to….. collude?

WFAN host Craig Carton said, “If you’re Mexico and Italy… do you put your differences aside for a second and say, hey, let’s collude here a little bit.”

Team USA entered the 2026 World Baseball Classic carrying huge expectations after winning the 2017 and finishing as runners-up in 2023. The roster featured stars like Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper, both former MLB MVP winners.

Through four Pool B games, the Americans scored 35 runs while allowing 17 runs overall. Yet Tuesday’s 8-6 loss to Italy erased comfort and pushed their record to 3-1. Fans suddenly realized qualification depended on another game, something this talented roster never expected entering Houston.

Italy’s upset created a tense Pool B table with Italy 3-0, USA 3-1, and Mexico 2-1.

If Italy beats Mexico, the Americans advance with them because the records become Italy 4-0 and USA 3-1. Trouble appears if Mexico wins, creating a three-team tie at identical 3-1 records.

The tiebreaker uses runs allowed divided by defensive outs recorded in games between tied teams. Before Italy faced Mexico, Team USA allowed 11 runs across 54 outs, producing a 0.204 ratio.

Mexico allowed 5 runs in 24 outs, producing a 0.208 ratio entering the decisive matchup. Italy allowed 6 runs in 27 outs, giving them a 0.222 ratio before Wednesday night’s contest.

If Mexico wins 4-3, updated numbers become Mexico 0.156, Italy 0.176, USA 0.204, eliminating the Americans. Yet if Mexico wins 9-2, Italy rises to 0.294 while Team USA remains 0.204, advancing instead. That strange math sparked talk shows imagining quiet cooperation between Mexico and Italy securing quarterfinal survival.

Such discussion grew louder after WFAN host Craig Carton openly wondered whether teams might collude. Carton argued survival matters most because the tournament advances only two teams from each five-team pool.

Yet the situation feels painful because the United States last exited in the first round back in 2009. Back then, they finished fourth with a 4-4 record despite scoring 50 runs across eight games. Failing again with stars like Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper would leave fans questioning preparation, pride, and mindset.