Gunnar Henderson starts at third for US over Bregman, then homers in WBC

Henderson's homer ties game as US beats Dominican Republic 2-1 to reach WBC final

Mar. 16, 2026 at 10:52pm

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Gunnar Henderson, the star shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles, started at third base for the United States over Alex Bregman in the World Baseball Classic semifinals. Henderson then hit a solo home run in the fourth inning to tie the game against the Dominican Republic, setting up the go-ahead run in a 2-1 victory that sent the US to the WBC final.

Why it matters

Henderson's performance highlighted the depth of the US roster and the tough decisions manager Mark DeRosa had to make in setting the lineup. The move to start Henderson over Bregman paid off, as Henderson's favorable career numbers against Dominican starter Luis Severino gave him the edge.

The details

Henderson, who is 7-for-9 with a home run and four RBIs against Severino in his career, drove a 3-2 pitch 400 feet to right-center to tie the game in the fourth inning. Bregman, who is 5-for-21 with a homer and three RBIs against Severino, was benched for the game. DeRosa said he spoke with Bregman about the decision, and Bregman was "good with it." Will Smith also started at catcher over Cal Raleigh, who is hitless in nine plate appearances in the WBC.

  • On March 16, 2026, Gunnar Henderson started at third base for the United States in the World Baseball Classic semifinals against the Dominican Republic.

The players

Gunnar Henderson

A star shortstop for the Baltimore Orioles who started at third base for the United States in the WBC semifinals and hit a game-tying home run.

Alex Bregman

The Houston Astros third baseman who was benched in favor of Henderson for the WBC semifinal game.

Mark DeRosa

The manager of the United States team in the World Baseball Classic.

Luis Severino

The starting pitcher for the Dominican Republic in the WBC semifinal game.

Albert Pujols

The manager of the Dominican Republic team in the World Baseball Classic.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“I feel like I can see his pitches well, and it's something that gives you confidence going into the game. I was able to fight off a couple good pitches and then get one more over the plate, and I didn't miss it.”

— Gunnar Henderson (wbal.com)

“Seven of nine, that's a good sample size. He obviously sees Luis well, and Luis threw the heck out of the ball.”

— Mark DeRosa, Manager, United States team (wbal.com)

“Skenes is one of the best pitchers today in the major leagues. But we also have one of the best offenses in this tournament, so it's going to be power versus power. We'll try to win.”

— Albert Pujols, Manager, Dominican Republic team (wbal.com)

“Alcantara will be our pitcher no matter what. If God gives us that opportunity, if we move to the final, Alcantara will be the starter. I'm not going to change it no matter what, no matter if it is Italy or Venezuela. … I trust Sandy, and I hope to be here talking with you on Tuesday.”

— Albert Pujols, Manager, Dominican Republic team (wbal.com)

What’s next

The United States will face the winner of the Italy-Venezuela semifinal game in the World Baseball Classic final on Tuesday.

The takeaway

Gunnar Henderson's strong performance, including a game-tying home run, highlighted the depth of the United States roster and the tough decisions manager Mark DeRosa had to make in setting the lineup for the WBC semifinals.