Team USA’s surprising defeat to Mexico in the World Baseball Classic on Sunday night left fans worried about the presumed favorites to win it all—and for good reason. The 11–5 drubbing at Chase Field in Phoenix was the second-worst loss by a U.S. team in WBC history, but players seemed to address the upset as if it were any other game during an MLB season.
“We’re a really good baseball team,” Team USA pitcher Brady Singer said, per ESPN. “I’m not too worried about it. We have to come back fighting tomorrow.”
Singer gave up four earned runs on four hits in two innings during a game in which the team’s pitching staff struggled mightily, allowing 15 hits. The WBC’s pitch-count rules and the need to accommodate MLB clubs’ wishes by not overusing their hurlers played a significant role in the loss, as manager Mark DeRosa was unable to make certain replacements when his bullpen was struggling.
“It’s tough,” DeRosa said, per ESPN. “You’re trying to massage innings. You’re trying to protect these guys. You’re trying to honor their parent clubs. A lot of these guys are restricted from cleaning up a dirty inning and going back out.”
Despite Team USA’s struggles on the mound, the club is still plenty dangerous at the plate. Shortstop Tim Anderson, who had two hits and three RBIs Sunday night, echoed Singer’s leveled demeanor after the loss.
“The vibe is still the same,” Anderson said, per ESPN. “You look around and see who’s in the locker room and there’s nothing to complain about. We have a bunch of dudes in there. It’s just a matter of time before things start clicking.”
Joey Meneses was the primary offensive catalyst for Team Mexico, going 3-for-5 with two homers, three runs, five RBIs and one epic bat flip. Randy Arozarena and Rowdy Tellez each added three hits and two RBIs.
The six-run loss was the second-largest margin of defeat for Team USA in WBC history, surpassed only by an 11-1 loss to Puerto Rico in 2009.
Team USA is now 1–1 in pool play and has two games to go. The top two teams in the five-team pool advance to the next round. The U.S. plays next against Canada on Monday at 10 p.m. ET on FS1.
