Los Angeles Dodgers great and future Hall of Famer Clayton Kershaw almost saw some in-game action in the World Baseball Classic on Tuesday.
Kershaw, whose role on Team USA was described by Jesse Rogers of ESPN as a “‘break glass in case of emergency’ player,” was spotted warming up in Team USA’s eventual loss to Team Italy.
Kershaw hadn’t appeared in pool play yet, taking the mound only in an exhibition game between Team USA and the Colorado Rockies.
It didn’t go well. He gave up a 414-foot home run, though he did get a standing ovation from the fans.
Mar 4, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; United States pitcher Clayton Kershaw (22) throws against the Colorado Rockies in the third inning at Salt River Fields. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn ImagesWhy is it Strange That Clayton Kershaw Would Pitch Against Italy?
Given Kershaw’s age — he retired from the MLB after last season — he wasn’t expected to pitch meaningful innings for Team USA.
He instead was likely to be used in blowouts, which, to be fair, the USA-Italy game was for a while.
But by the time Kershaw was warming up, what had been an 8-0 lead for Italy had closed to 8-4.
And contrary to what Team USA manager Mark DeRosa indicated pregame, the American squad needed to win to lock up their spot in the WBC quarterfinals.
With the Italians’ 8-6 win, the American squad now faces possible elimination depending on the results of Team Mexico versus Team Italy Wednesday evening.
That could’ve been avoided entirely if the U.S. defeated Italy, but instead, DeRosa played bench players like Paul Goldschmidt and Gunnar Henderson.
It’s possible that Kershaw was another of those bench players expected to get some playing time before the American team realized how important it was to win the game.
What’s Next for Clayton Kershaw and Team USA?
Kershaw, alongside Dodgers catcher Will Smith, and the rest of the Americans can still advance, but the rules are incredibly complex.
The easiest way forward for the U.S. is for Italy to win. That would put Italy at 4-0 in pool play, the U.S. at 3-1 and Mexico at 2-2. Mexico, however, is a heavy betting favorite.
If Mexico wins, the number of runs scored will determine who advances.
As long as Team Mexico scores five or more runs, the U.S. should advance, though there are some questions about how extra innings could affect the calculus, which is based on earned runs per defensive out.
LA Baseball Report
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