United States manager Mark DeRosa led the Americans to second-place finishes at each of the last two editions of the World Baseball Classic. File Photo by Michael Laughlin/UPI | License Photo
Mark DeRosa wants another shot to manage Team USA, hoping to avenge a second consecutive World Baseball Classic finale setback, he told reporters.
DeRosa made the comments in his postgame news conference after Venezuela beat the Americans 3-2 on Tuesday in Miami. Japan beat DeRosa’s squad 3-2 in the 2023 finale in Miami.
“It would be 100% yes to do it again,” DeRosa said when asked about his desire to return. “I’d love to get over the finish line. Not only is it two times, but 3-2 both times. Why? If you saw how hurting the guys were in that locker room right now, you’d know why.
“For some reason, this WBC has become a tidal wave of emotion for a lot of guys. You get them in the room, representing their country, coming together for 2 1/2 weeks. The buy-in, it’s infectious in there. Special group to be a part of. Proud of the way we represented the USA.”
DeRosa was heavily criticized throughout the tournament, including for a blunder in which he erroneously said the Americans punched their quarterfinal ticket before they actually did so.
The former MLB utility player late said he “misspoke” after he “misread the calculations.” Team USA overcame the error by narrowly advancing to the field of eight.
American superstars littered DeRosa’s batting order and pitching staff, but the task of balancing workloads with MLB teams during spring training and overall underperformance and inconsistency led to Team USA’s downfall.
Bobby Witt Jr., Bryce Harper and Aaron Judge, the first three hitters in the majority of DeRosa’s batting orders, hit just .227 (18 for 79), with three home runs and 20 strikeouts in the tournament.
Team USA hit .241 overall, the sixth-best average at the World Baseball Classic. Their 58 strikeouts led the tournament.
The Team USA pitching staff ranked seventh, with a 3.00 ERA. DeRosa frequently faced challenging decisions on how to use that staff. USA Baseball remained in communication with MLB teams to decide how often and when to use elite pitchers, like reliever Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres, who was not used against Venezuela.
DeRosa said he was “honoring the Padres,” by not using Miller. Instead, he put in the Boston Red Sox’s Garrett Whitlock, who walked Luis Arraez to start the ninth inning before allowing what proved to be a game-winning RBI double to Venezuela’s Eugenio Suarez.
While MLB remains in touch with USA Baseball and other World Baseball Classic teams, the decision on how to use players ultimately rests with the federations and international team staffs.
A source told UPI that there is no mandate-type messaging from MLB teams to Team USA or mechanisms to levy penalties against USA Baseball for using players more than their domestic clubs request.
“I’m not going to make any excuses for us,” DeRosa said. “I think, at the end of the day, everybody comes in with, it’s early in spring training, guys are getting ready for the season. Eventually, I think the tournament gets moved and I think guys are in better form, pitching-wise.
“Ultimately, it’s who gets hot at the right at the time, who gets a big swing. It just seemed like we couldn’t get the offense going the entire tournament.”
The Americans earned one title through six editions of the World Baseball Classic. Japan holds a tournament-record three crowns.
The next World Baseball Classic isn’t expected to be held until 2030. MLB commissioner Rob Manfred said last month, though, that he sensed “a lot of momentum toward” players participating in baseball at the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
World Baseball Classic: Venezuela defeats Team USA in final
Venezuela celebrates winning the World Baseball Classic after defeating Team USA 3-2 at loanDepot park in Miami on March 17, 2026. Photo by Michael Laughlin/UPI | License Photo
