Team USA manager Mark DeRosa left Baltimore Orioles fans with a parting frustration ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic championship game. Despite Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson being one of the top performers during the tournament, and homering in the semi-final game against the Dominican Republic, he was relegated to the bench during Tuesday's game against Venezuela.
Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman started at third base during USA's 3-2 loss to Venezuela, and the primary reason was DeRosa's tendency to rely on lefty-righty splits. Left-handed starting pitcher Eduardo Rodriguez was the starter for Venezuela, and in fairness to Team USA's manager, there was logic in sitting Henderson.