Mark DeRosa’s attempt at damage control went off the rails pretty quickly.
Team USA’s manager was asked about his very clear ignorance of the tiebreaker rules at the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and his response didn’t inspire confidence. On Tuesday, DeRosa was a guest on MLB Network’s Hot Stove and claimed the U.S. had punched its ticket to the quarterfinals after defeating Mexico 5-3 on Monday night. That was not the case, as a loss to Italy could set up a scenario where the Americans finished in a three-way tie atop Pool B and wound up eliminated. He also claimed the team had partied late into the night, and some guys were “dragging” the morning of the Italy game.
