Paul Skenes, the reigning National League Cy Young Award winner and Pirates ace, confirmed he expects to make two starts for Team USA in the upcoming World Baseball Classic. This announcement comes after American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal indicated he would only pitch once in the tournament. Skenes’ participation offers manager Mark DeRosa flexibility as Team USA prepares for its pool play and potential advancement.
Details on Skenes’ Appearances and Team USA’s Schedule
Skenes told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that he will pitch in one of Team USA’s two exhibition games next week, either the matchup against the San Francisco Giants on Tuesday or the contest versus the Colorado Rockies on Wednesday. His first official WBC start will occur during pool play, which includes games against Brazil on March 6, Great Britain on March 7, Mexico on March 9, and Italy on March 10.
“We win, we go as far as we should, I’ll pitch again in the tournament,”
Skenes explained, indicating that his second start will be scheduled depending on Team USA’s tournament progress. This could be in the quarterfinals, semifinals, or even the final if the team advances that far.
Team USA’s Rotation and Strategic Considerations
Alongside Skenes and Skubal, the starting rotation features Logan Webb, who is also planning to make two WBC starts. Additional pitchers in the mix include Joe Ryan, Matthew Boyd, Clay Holmes, and Nolan McLean. With such a strong rotation, DeRosa can strategically decide when to deploy Skenes, likely reserving his second start for the critical knockout rounds where his impact could be maximized.
Team USA’s Quest to Recapture WBC Glory
Team USA aims to capture its first World Baseball Classic title since 2017. With top talents like Skenes, Skubal, and Webb on the mound, the squad is well-positioned to advance through pool play and into the later rounds. How DeRosa manages his pitching staff, particularly with two-time Cy Young winner Skenes available for multiple starts, could prove decisive in the tournament’s final outcome.
