After a blowout win against Team Great Britain on Saturday, March 7, the Team USA schedule for the World Baseball Classic continues with a Game 3 matchup featuring Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes going up against Team Mexico.
Team USA sits atop Pool B with a 2-0 record. The squad cruised to a 9-1 win over Team Great Britain, with the help of a monstrous Kyle Schwarber home run. Following a leadoff dinger, Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers settled in to deliver three solid innings. The Team USA bullpen allowed just one hit over the final six frames.
The next game for Team USA will be at 8 p.m. ET on Monday, March 9, against Team Mexico. Viewers can find the matchup on the FOX channel. Team USA will wrap up pool play with a game against Team Italy on Tuesday, March 10. Mexico and Italy are both undefeated in the WBC so far, matching Team USA with 2-0 records.
Paul Skenes Gets the Ball Against Team Mexico for Game 3 as Team USA’s Schedule Continues
Team USA will send another reigning Cy Young winner to the mound for Monday’s matchup. Skenes earned the National League award after tossing 187.2 innings with a 1.97 ERA and a 29.5% strikeout rate. The 23-year-old has recorded a sub-2.00 ERA in each of his first two big-league seasons.
This portion of the Team USA schedule will be crucial. The club easily dispatched Team Brazil and Team Great Britain, but the next two matchups will be more challenging. As Talkin’ Baseball points out, Team USA has lost to Team Mexico in three straight games. With these two teams, along with Team Italy, all currently undefeated, the clubs emerging from Pool B will likely come from the trio.
The usual suspects are succeeding in the other pools. Team Japan has already advanced to the quarterfinals in Pool C, sprinting out to a 3-0 record. Team Puerto Rico and Team Venezuela lead Pool A and Pool D, respectively, with 2-0 records.
Team Mexico’s Roster Against Paul Skenes
The Team Mexico roster features several current big-leaguers. Toronto Blue Jays catcher Alejandro Kirk is the club’s primary catcher. Tampa Bay Rays first baseman Jonathan Aranda launched a go-ahead home run against Team Great Britain. He’s joined by Joey Ortiz, Nacho Alvarez, and Nick Gonzales in the infield.
The outfield is a clear strength for Team Mexico. Jarren Duren of the Boston Red Sox and Randy Arozarena of the Seattle Mariners are on the corners. The duo also batted at the top of the order against Team Great Britain. Alek Thomas handled center field, with Alejandro Osuna on the bench as the fourth outfielder.
The pitching staff isn’t loaded with MLB talent, but it does include stud relievers Andres Munoz of the Seattle Mariners and Robert Garcia of the Texas Rangers.
Here’s Team Mexico’s full WBC roster:
Hitters
- Alejandro Kirk
- Alexis Wilson
- Jonathan Aranda
- Nacho Álvarez Jr.
- Mateo Gil
- Nick Gonzales
- Joey Meneses
- Joey Ortiz
- Jared Serna
- Rowdy Tellez
- Randy Arozarena
- Jarren Duran
- Julian Ornelas
- Alejandro Osuna
- Alek Thomas
Pitchers
- Alexander Armenta
- Javier Assad
- Manny Barreda
- Brennan Bernardino
- Alex Carrillo
- Jesus Cruz
- Daniel Duarte
- Robert Garcia
- Luis Gastelum
- Andrés Muñoz
- Samy Natera Jr.
- Roel Ramirez
- Gerardo Reyes
- Victor Vodnik
- Taijuan Walker
Walker is the only MLB starter on the club, though Assad could factor into the Chicago Cubs‘ rotation.
Team USA WBC Schedule: Game 3 Matchup and Standings