USA WBC lineup stirs controversy without former Rookie of the Year, All-Star

The United States will attempt to defeat Venezuela in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic on March 17 without two of its most accomplished players.

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Third baseman Gunnar Henderson and catcher Cal Raleigh were nowhere to be found, replaced by Alex Bregman and Will Smith, respectively, in manager Mark DeRosa’s lineup.

Overall, Henderson is hitting .429 (highest of any U.S. player) in three WBC games. The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year went 4-for-5 in a 9-1 pool play win over Great Britain on March 7. He homered during an 8-6 pool play loss to Italy on March 10.

In the U.S.’ semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic on March 15, Henderson hit the game-tying home run in the fourth inning.

Raleigh, who hit an American League-leading 60 home runs last year for the Seattle Mariners, is 0 for 9 in the tournament. Smith, who caught the semifinal win against the Dominican Republic, is hitting .300 (3 for 10) in the tournament.

The real surprise was the inclusion of Bregman, who’s 2-for-11 (.182) in four tournament games.

In the Orioles’ spring training camp in Sarasota, Florida, Henderson’s teammates were rooting for him to be in the lineup against Venezuela.

“I think (Henderson) made a pretty good impression for the championship game,” Orioles second baseman Jackson Holliday told Jake Rill of MLB.com.

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