Team USA Needs Help To Advance in the World Baseball Classic

Three years can make a world of difference in international baseball.

The United States advanced to the final of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, losing to Japan on home soil in a tense 3-2 thriller of a championship game. In 2026, the United States is on the precipice of potential elimination after an embarrassing loss in their final game of pool play.

Tuesday's loss to Italy now means that the destiny of the United States rests in the results of Wednesday's final day of pool action.