USA Starts as Favorite as 2026 WBC Rosters Roll Out
Rosters for the 2026 World Baseball Classic were revealed, with Team USA viewed as the favorite after a strengthened pitching staff led by Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes and a heavy-hitting lineup (Judge, Raleigh, Witt Jr., etc.). The Dominican Republic, Japan, and Venezuela loom as primary challengers, featuring stars like Soto, Guerrero Jr., Tatis Jr., Machado, and a Japan squad still potent on the mound despite Shohei Ohtani not pitching this time. A slate of dark-horse teams—Italy, Israel, Puerto Rico, Korea, Canada, Mexico—could spoil plans, while scrappy squads such as Taipei, Colombia, Great Britain, Cuba, and Panama could surprise. Insurance issues dent Puerto Rico and notable absences like Freddie Freeman affect Canada; the event runs March 5–17, 2026.
