Team USA’s roster for the World Baseball Classic (WBC) was touted as their strongest yet, but there’s been a recent adjustment. Tarik Skubal, the two-time AL Cy Young winner, will only see action once during the tournament in pool play against Great Britain on March 7. If the team moves on to the finals, he will not be included in the pitching rotation.

“If they go to the finals, I think I’m going to try and lobby to just go watch and be with the guys,” Skubal informed reporters, including The Athletic, on Monday.
“Se você não poderia considerar me como um co-ace, estou agora falando sobre Paul Skenes como nosso único ace.”

This news is disappointing for fans eager to see Skubal potentially lead the squad in either the semifinals or finals, leveraging his impressive playoff record and accolades. Should the USA advance, they will rely heavily on Paul Skenes, who now stands alone as the ace, supported by fellow All-Stars Logan Webb and Matthew Boyd. However, concern looms with other roster members like Joe Ryan, who is nursing an injury, as well as Nolan McLean and veteran Clay Holmes from the Mets.

Offensively, the team is stacked with stars including Aaron Judge, Cal Raleigh, Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper, and Kyle Schwarber. Despite the loss of Skubal, Team USA remains a formidable contender, with the championship round set for March 17 at Miami’s LoanDepot Park. After winning the WBC in 2017 and losing to Japan in the finals in 2023, they enter this tournament as heavy favorites.