So far, so good for Team USA at the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
After disposing of Mexico on Monday evening by a score of 5-3, the Americans (3-0) appear to be in great shape to advance to the Quarterfinals round.
With a game versus Italy upcoming, manager Mark DeRosa may opt to shake things up from a lineup standpoint in order to find the perfect combination moving forward as the team prepares for more competitive opponents.
While the sample size isn’t huge, there’s enough of one to make some determinations personnel-wise. In this instance, there are two potential moves DeRosa can make to make Team USA even more potent than it already is.
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Catcher: Subbing Cal Raleigh for Will Smith
While “Big Dumper” is as prolific a slugger as there is in the sport, Smith isn’t exactly a slouch, either.
The multi-time MLB All-Star catcher has been Raleigh’s primary backup thus far. Raleigh isn’t exactly lighting the world on fire throughout three games. Seattle’s lynchpin leader has zero hits in six at-bats. This includes three strikeouts.
Smith doesn’t have a hit either — though in his only start (versus Great Britain) he was robbed of two hits courtesy of spectacular plays by the opponent. One of those would-be hits was headed for right field seats before outfielder Trayce Thompson leapt up and snagged the ball out of the air on what was a spectacular play.
While not the slugging threat Raleigh is, Smith is a far better contact hitter. This aspect of his game should come in handy when facing high-octane relievers in the knockout stages when situational baseball is of the utmost importance. Smith is a better baserunner from a speed standpoint, and he’s also an above-average defender (as evidenced by throwing out a runner in his only start during the WBC).
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Outfield: Subbing Byron Buxton for Pete Crow-Armstrong
Buxton is another player who’s been slumping at the plate. Like Raleigh, he’s yet to collect a hit throughout two games. Even more concerning, Buxton has accrued a minuscule .286 OPS thus far. To be fair, this is a small sample size — though Buxton has struck out in two of his five plate appearances.
PCA essentially provides the excellent defensive prowess that Buxton offers. While not nearly as experienced across the board, there’s some flexibility here with a guy who can not only slug, but also run while providing terrific energy and some of the best speed on the roster.
There’s some conventionality in keeping Crow-Armstrong mostly as a late-game defensive replacement. Having said that, if he can provide more offensive potency at the plate, comparatively speaking, why not let him get a full runway as the primary centerfielder?
