Team USA sets star-studded rotation for World Baseball Classic

Reigning Cy Young winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes headline Team USA's pitching staff for the upcoming tournament.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Team USA manager Mark DeRosa announced that Logan Webb, Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and Nolan McLean will start the first four games of pool play for the American squad in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. The rotation features a trio of reigning Cy Young Award winners in Skubal, Skenes, and Webb, giving Team USA its most talented starting staff ever for the tournament.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball tournament that features the best players from around the world representing their home countries. Team USA's star-studded rotation gives them a significant advantage as they aim to win the WBC for the first time since 2017.

The details

Webb will start the opener against Brazil, followed by Skubal against Great Britain, Skenes against Mexico, and McLean against Italy. Skubal will only make one start before returning to Tigers camp, but Skenes and Webb have committed to staying for the duration of the tournament. The rotation features three pitchers who have combined for six All-Star selections and three Cy Young Awards.

  • Team USA's first game is on Friday, March 7, 2026 against Brazil.
  • Tarik Skubal is scheduled to make his lone WBC start on Saturday, March 8, 2026 against Great Britain.
  • Paul Skenes will take the mound on March 9, 2026 against Mexico.
  • Nolan McLean is slated to face Italy on March 10, 2026, though his status is uncertain due to an illness.

The players

Logan Webb

A right-handed pitcher who has won the Cy Young Award and been selected to multiple All-Star teams.

Tarik Skubal

A left-handed pitcher for the Detroit Tigers who is a reigning Cy Young Award winner.

Paul Skenes

A right-handed pitcher and reigning Cy Young Award winner who will make one final WBC tune-up start against the Giants on Tuesday.

Nolan McLean

A right-handed pitcher for the New York Mets who was absent from Team USA's first workout due to illness.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of Team USA for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

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What they’re saying

“They change the game for us, no question about it. That's no disrespect to the other guys. First off, you want the guys who want to be in the room. If you get them on the phone and they're kind of wanting to walk through everything and have their schedule laid out for them, this is not the tournament for them.”

— Mark DeRosa, Team USA Manager (mlb.com)

“It speaks volumes, definitely, because of what's ahead of him. He's got the two-time Cy Young, back to back. This guy is about to make half a billion dollars here in the next offseason. For him to put it all on the line for his country and come out here and show up for us -- it may just be one game, but there's a risk with everything you do. For him to take that risk and come out here and be with us, the boys love it. They were hyped in the clubhouse. It means a lot. Maybe we can squeeze another game out of him. I don't know. We'll see.”

— Aaron Judge, Team USA Captain (mlb.com)

What’s next

Nolan McLean's status for Team USA's first game against Italy on March 10 will be reevaluated in the coming days as he recovers from an illness.

The takeaway

With a rotation headlined by three reigning Cy Young Award winners, Team USA has assembled its most talented pitching staff ever for the World Baseball Classic as they aim to capture their first title in the tournament since 2017.