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HOUSTON — Day 4 of the World Baseball Classic did not disappoint.
The early game featured Italy and Great Britain, and it was Italy that ultimately knocked Great Britain out of the tournament. Britain did not have its best showing, but simply reaching this stage with the way these clubs are assembled is impressive. Rosters are built from heritage ties and eligibility across multiple countries and territories, which makes the competition unique and often unpredictable.
Great Britain had moments throughout the tournament where things accelerated, and the club found rhythm. Their roster pulls from across the Commonwealth and beyond, and that diversity showed in the way they played. Several prospects took advantage of the opportunity to perform on a big stage, while established players experienced an environment that does not get any bigger in international baseball.
Then came the nightcap everyone had circled.
United States versus Mexico.
Anyone who had not been in attendance for the earlier games made sure they were there for this one. Expanded media, players, scouts, executives, and decision makers across the sport. You name it, they were in the park. The building was full of people who shape the game.
And the game delivered.
On paper, the statistical profile of the United States suggests a clear advantage. But games like this rarely play out according to paper.
Roman Anthony is a player.
That might sound obvious to people who have already seen him, but it still deserves to be said. I have had a little crossover with him in the past. Not much, but enough to understand the makeup. The respect for the kid is real, and it is easy to see what he can become during his time in Boston.
The makeup is plus. The tools are plus. The instincts and feel for the game are plus. The ball seems to find him, and he seems to find the moment. He impacts the game defensively and offensively, and his presence shows up almost every time he steps on the field.
Players like that tend to show up in big environments, and Anthony continues to do it.
Takeaways from the Field
Kyle Schwarber remains one of the more fascinating hitters in baseball. I have watched him for more than a decade now, and his discipline at the plate still stands out.
He will swing and miss. He will strike out. But he controls the strike zone as well as almost anyone in the game. What he has done as a designated hitter deserves more appreciation than it receives.
Being a DH is not easy. Most players want to stay involved defensively. You can look at someone like Yordan Alvarez, who continually pushes to play the field regardless of what might be best for his body or the club. Schwarber has embraced the opposite. He understands exactly who he is as a hitter and commits fully to it. If the club needs him in the field, he can survive there, but his job is to hit and impact baseballs. When hitters fully embrace hitting, this is sometimes what it looks like.
For me, David Ortiz remains the greatest designated hitter. Shohei Ohtani does not quite count in that category because he is also a pitcher and could easily play the field. Before Ortiz, there was Edgar Martinez. Before that, players like Chili Davis and even Reggie Jackson filled the role in different eras.
Schwarber, entering his third full season at DH, is working his way into that historical conversation.
Paul Skenes was exactly as advertised. Before the game, manager Mark DeRosa mentioned Skenes could go up to five innings, depending on pitch count. With the way he works, that always feels possible.
When he first started accelerating toward the big leagues, I thought the timeline might be aggressive, even accounting for the talent. All he has done since then is prove that he might have been ready even sooner.
He is about as good as it gets for a young right-handed starter. Along with Tarik Skubal and the next wave of young arms entering the game, he looks positioned to help lead the next generation of frontline pitching.
Garrett Clevenger also gave the United States a strong outing out of the bullpen. He moved the ball around, kept hitters off the fastball, and did exactly what his role demands. That is why he has remained a productive major league reliever.
Defensively, Bobby Witt Jr. delivered one of the defining sequences of the night.
The first play on Alejandro Kirk was exceptional. Later, he made another play that might have been even tougher. When a shortstop makes plays like that, hits go there to die. Even at the major league level, plays like those shift the emotional direction of a game.
You could feel the stadium react.
Mexico Competes
Mexico deserves real credit. On paper, their roster cannot match the statistical accumulation of the United States, but good players are good players and Mexico competes.
Alejandro Kirk is a champion. Jarren Duran is a winner. Left-hander Alexander Armenta is a winner. Jonathan Aranda is a productive major league hitter. Other players bring experience from the Mexican League, while younger players balance the roster with energy and upside.
And then there is Benji Gil.
Benji is Mexico baseball royalty, and he deserves an opportunity to lead a team at the major league level because he has proven he can do it. He has shown he can manage stars and young players alike, and he consistently gets the most out of the group he is given.
He can be demanding to play for. Some players thrive under that, and some struggle with it. Benji has strong opinions and expects accountability, but he also understands collaboration and when to defer. What matters most to him is winning.
I have known Benji for a long time. Mateo Gil was part of our very first Future Stars Series events. Benji knows how to command respect and how to build a clubhouse around competing every day.
Looking ahead, the path forward is becoming clearer.
The United States plays Italy on Tuesday. Mexico plays Italy on Wednesday. Two of those three teams will advance. Team USA appears to be the favorite, with Mexico likely battling for the second spot. But Francisco Cervelli and the Italian group cannot be dismissed. They have surprised people already and earned their place in the conversation.
Elsewhere, the bracket suggests Japan and Korea could be headed to Miami to face Venezuela and the Dominican Republic at LoanDepot Park. Puerto Rico and Cuba would then travel to Houston to face the two advancing teams from this group.
That would set up an eight-team field for the championship rounds.
And if that happens, the run to the title is going to be relentless.
Because right now, this tournament has created something the sport rarely produces at this scale. Passion, pride, rivalry, and elite talent all sharing the same field at the same time.
This is the best environment in baseball.
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- BOOTH: Big-Time Performances Set Up Bracket Play - March 12, 2026
