Whether it be his stunning ignorance when constructing a lineup without Gunnar Henderson, or his inability to do basic tiebreaker math in pool play, the 2026 World Baseball Classic could be Mark DeRosa's last.
This isn't to take anything away from the Dominicans. They have the best lineup in this entire tournament, including the likes of Juan Soto, Fernando Tatis Jr., Manny Machado and Junior Caminero, among so many others. However, the United States entered the WBC as the prohibitive favorites, with some pundits coining the Americans baseball's dream team. After a loss to Italy in pool play, the U.S. narrowly escaped Canada in the quarterfinals. A loss to the DR on Sunday could very well be the final straw for DeRosa.
Why Team USA manager Mark DeRosa could be on the outs
DeRosa's game management has been under question all tournament. Whether it be the lineups he trots out on a regular basis that lack basic baseball understanding (like playing Paul Goldschmidt in a must-win game against a right-handed pitcher or sitting Henderson for much of the WBC), his bullpen management, or simply not knowing the basic tiebreakers required for his team to make it out of pool play, the 2026 World Baseball Classic has been a disaster-class for someone who had been an up-and-coming MLB managerial candidate.
If DeRosa loses to the one team on a level playing field as the Americans left in the tournament, Team USA should find a new skipper before the Olympics. Look no further than Team Japan as a classic test case. Japan fell to Venezuela, another team full of MLB-caliber stars like Ronald Acuña Jr., on Saturday night. Shortly thereafter, Japan manager Hirokazu Ibata announced his resignation.
Unlike Team USA, Samurai Japan rarely carries over managers from one WBC to the next.
- 2006 WBC: Sadaharu Oh
- 2009 WBC: Tatsunori Hara
- 2013 WBC: Koji Yamamoto
- 2017 WBC: Hiroki Kokubo
- 2023 WBC: Hideki Kuriyama
- 2026 WBC: Hirokazu Ibata
It's how they keep things fresh, and maintain a consistent player pool, which is something the Americans have struggled with this year.
Who could replace Mark DeRosa as Team USA manager?
Managing a collection of stars is no easy job. I would never suggest as much, as DeRosa not only has to fill out lineup cards and deal with demands from each player's MLB team ahead of Opening Day, but he must handle some big personalities as well. If you don't think Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper have big egos, then you've never met a professional athlete. But much of what makes DeRosa expendable are the possible replacements out there. Managing Team USA is a respectable gig, and a promising alternative for those tired of the day-to-day grind of managing an MLB team.
Brian Snitker
Snitker stepped away from the Atlanta Braves after last season and has a lot of time on his hands. While he's an elder statesman when it comes to MLB managers, we saw the success Jim Leyland had with Team USA in his previous runs at the World Baseball Classic. Snitker knows how to manage big personalities – he did so to near perfection with Ronald Acuña Jr. and Freddie Freeman, for example – and he's the exact kind of hands-off manager that DeRosa isn't.
Mike Shildt
Shildt retired as manager of the San Diego Padres in part because of the mental toll it took on him. Shildt received death threats, and it impacted his mental health. Assuming he takes a few years off – and by all accounts that's his intention – then Shildt would be an excellent choice to take on a part-time managerial gig. Yes, managing Team USA can lead to its own pressure every few years, but Shildt knows how get the most out of talented players. Look no further than his work with the St. Louis Cardinals and even the Padres.
Bruce Bochy
Bochy would be my top choice for this job. He recent stepped down as manager of the Texas Rangers and was replaced by the younger Skip Schumaker, who had been serving as a special assistant to the front office. Bochy is a Hall-of-Fame manager who has four World Series to his name. His time with the Padres, Giants and Rangers has done little to impact his reputation as one of the best skippers in the game. Bochy is the no-nonsense manager Team USA desperately needs heading into the Olympics and the next WBC.