Team USA manager Mark DeRosa is facing criticism after a surprising 8–6 loss to Italy in the World Baseball Classic left the United States in danger of missing the tournament’s quarterfinal round.
The defeat put Team USA in a difficult position, now relying on Italy to defeat Mexico in the final group matchup to keep American hopes alive.
Questions surrounding the loss intensified after comments DeRosa made before the game suggested he believed Team USA had already secured a spot in the quarterfinals.
During an interview on MLB Network’s Hot Stove program with Matt Vasgersian and Harold Reynolds, DeRosa indicated he planned to rest some players because he believed the team had already advanced.
“I’m going to get some guys off their feet, no question about it,” DeRosa said. “I’d like to get Paul Goldschmidt a start. He has been awesome; just a leader of men behind the scenes with Aaron Judge. I’d like to get him in there. I’d like to get Gunnar in there again.”
DeRosa continued by saying the team still wanted to win the game even though, in his view, their “ticket was punched” to the quarterfinals.
“We want to win this game, even though our ticket’s punched to the quarterfinals,” he said.
However, Team USA had not yet clinched a spot in the next round and still needed the victory against Italy to secure advancement.
Lineup decisions in the game appeared to reflect a lack of urgency. Several key players were not in the starting lineup, including Cal Raleigh, Bryce Harper, Alex Bregman, and Brice Turang.
Pitching choices also drew scrutiny. After starter Nolan McLean pitched three innings, Ryan Yarbrough followed with 2 1/3 innings out of the bullpen despite having a 4.36 ERA with the New York Yankees last season.
Observers noted that the overall strategy suggested the team may not have approached the game with the urgency required in what turned out to be a must-win matchup.
The loss now leaves Team USA in a precarious situation. The Americans must rely on Italy to defeat Mexico in the next game to keep their tournament hopes alive.
If Mexico wins, Team USA will be eliminated from the competition.
Should the United States fail to advance, the decision-making before the Italy game — particularly the apparent misunderstanding of the tournament standings — is likely to become a central point of criticism.
