The World Baseball Classic has seen a shift in attitude from top pitchers, with more welcoming the opportunity to participate. This comes after cautionary tales, such as Daisuke Matsuzaka, who experienced a dropoff after the tournament. Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal’s participation has encouraged other elite US pitchers to line up for the tournament.
Matsuzaka’s Cautionary Tale
Daisuke Matsuzaka was the star of the World Baseball Classic in 2006. He later became one of the tournament’s biggest cautionary tales in 2009.
Matsuzaka earned MVP honours in the inaugural tournament. He was again recognised as tournament MVP while leading Japan to a second straight WBC title in 2009. A seemingly rushed buildup caught up with Matsuzaka by the time he returned.
After two excellent seasons to open his career in 2007 and 2008, shoulder fatigue left him with drastically diminished stuff in 2009. He followed an 18-3 campaign with a 2.90 ERA over 167⅔ innings in 2008 with a 4-6 season and 5.76 ERA in 2009, when he was limited to 59⅓ innings while missing three months.
Matsuzaka’s alarming dropoff offered a jarring lesson in the potential risks of the tournament, particularly for pitchers. Thereafter, many top pitchers and their teams viewed the WBC as a risk not worth taking.
Elite Pitchers Join the Fray
This year, with still-vivid memories of the incredible 2023 WBC, that mind-set has shifted. Yoshinobu Yamamoto continued his country’s tradition of fielding its best pitchers. Now, finally, other countries are doing the same.
The participation of reigning Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal kickstarted a run of elite US pitchers lining up to take part in the tournament. (Garrett Crochet declined with regrets, out of a desire to remain with his wife and newborn daughter throughout spring training.)
Other Pitchers Participating
The Dominican Republic will feature a formidable rotation of 2025 NL Cy Young runner-up Cristopher Sánchez, 2022 NL Cy Young winner Sandy Alcantara, and Red Sox starter Brayan Bello. Ranger Suárez took the ball for Venezuela in its WBC opener.
Star relievers likewise showed little reservation about taking part. Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock jumped at the chance to pitch for Team USA, joining a bullpen that features elite closers Mason Miller, David Bednar, and others in the late innings.
Acceptance of Risk
There’s a broader acceptance that pitching in just about any form in the Icarian era of melting wax wings comes with risk. Red Sox manager Alex Cora noted that Twins ace Pablo López blew out his elbow and required Tommy John surgery amid a normal spring training buildup.
“It doesn’t matter if you’re throwing in Puerto Rico, Miami, Houston,” said Cora, citing the different WBC venues. “The thing is what everybody makes it, like, ‘Oh, he got hurt pitching for Team USA instead of pitching for the Red Sox.’ I get it. But they’re still pitching, they’re still competing. It’s a little bit louder, and it is more [intense
The participation of Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal in the World Baseball Classic marks a change in attitude towards the tournament among top pitchers and their teams.