At the World Baseball Classic (WBC), the United States, which was aiming for a second consecutive victory, lost 2-3 to Japan in the final of the 2023 tournament on the 22nd and stayed in second place. The players themselves said, “It was the best experience,” but in fact, losing to Japan at home would hurt their pride.
America always has a hard time 먹튀검증recruiting its best members. Although awareness has eased a lot, this is because there are still many stars who prioritize the season rather than the national team. Again, the fielding team was lavishly decorated, but the starting pitchers who were most important in running the tournament were all missing. So many American nationality Cy Young contestants refused to participate in this competition.
Although it is the suzerain of baseball, it is the United States that has only won the WBC five times (2017). While Major League Commissioner Rob Manfred also quietly urged pitchers to participate, perceptions of the WBC are gradually changing, so there is a prospect that the 6th tournament in 2026 will build a stronger power than this time.
In fact, players who have participated in the WBC at least once are preaching the fun and taste of the national competition, and there were many cases that led to re-appearance. Then, if the U.S., whose pride is hurt, participates in the competition by ‘holding an angle’, what kind of players will appear in the 2026 competition?
The North American sports media ‘The Athletic’ looked at the expected members considering their current skills and their age in 2026, and it was also luxurious. Looking at the name value alone, he is by far the strongest contender for the championship. In particular, reinforcement in mound power was expected. As in basketball, suffice it to stick the word ‘dream team’.
The Athletic’s expected starting batting order is Mookie Betts (2nd baseman) – Mike Trout (left fielder) – Aaron Judge (right fielder) – Bryce Harper (DH) – Pete Alonso (1st baseman) – Austin Riley (3rd baseman) – Adley Larchman (catcher) – Trey Turner (shortstop) – Michael Harris II (center fielder).
Harper and Judge, who were absent due to injuries and personal circumstances, were included in this tournament. Numbers 1-4 can be a stifling lineup for opposing pitchers. They are all contractors worth at least $300 million in aggregate. Trout will be 34 in 2026, while Harper and Judge will be 33. It’s a point where you can maintain some level of skill, even if it’s not as good as it was in your prime.
The 2026 event, which has been the most problematic in this tournament, is actually an opaque starting lineup that is strong even aside from Jacob deGrom, who turns 37. It is possible to build a starting lineup that leads to Corbin Burns-Gerrit Cole-Max Fried-Spencer Strider-Alec Manoa-Shane McClanahan. The four right-handers are joined by left-handers named Fried and McClanahan. They are excellent players in terms of pitch and game management.
The bullpen will feature Devin Williams, Josh Hader, David Bednar, Pete Fairbanks and Ryan Helsley. It also has enough capacity to close the back door of the game. As the bullpen has a short cycle of new stars being born, unexpected superstars may appear in 2026.