Team USA baseball manager Mark DeRosa responds to criticism amid mounting controversy

Team USA manager Mark DeRosa responded to a question astir disapproval of his absorption during the World Baseball Classic aft critics person piled connected him successful caller days.

"I person an undying passionateness for it and an undying content successful each feline connected this roster," DeRosa said successful an in-game interrogation with Fox Sports during the Team USA crippled vs. Canada. 

"I don't deliberation there's an A oregon a B. I deliberation they're each A's."

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DeRosa’s comments travel amid scrutiny aft Team USA’s astonishing 8–6 nonaccomplishment to Italy successful excavation play, a decision that sparked wide treatment astir lineup decisions and comments helium made earlier the crippled astir the Americans’ tourney standing.

WBC Team USA Captain Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Team USA manager Mark DeRosa talk to the media during a crippled betwixt the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees astatine Yankee Stadium April 14, 2025, successful New York, N.Y. (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos)

Before the game, DeRosa said helium believed Team USA had already clinched a spot successful the knockout round, which proved incorrect erstwhile Italy pulled disconnected an upset. The miscalculation rapidly went viral and drew disapproval from fans and analysts, immoderate questioning the team’s attack and decision-making heading into the game.

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Despite the backlash, DeRosa has insisted the disapproval has created misleading narratives astir his handling of the squad and his knowing of the tourney format.

Manager Mark DeRosa of Team USA during the singing of the nationalist anthem anterior to a crippled against Team Great Britain astatine Daikin Park March 7, 2026, successful Houston, Texas.  (Gabriella Ricciardi/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Team USA entered the 2026 World Baseball Classic arsenic 1 of the tourney favorites, boasting a star-studded lineup headlined by players specified arsenic Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. It is wide considered 1 of the astir talented American squads ever assembled for the event.

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United States close fielder Aaron Judge walks backmost to the dugout aft striking retired against Italy to extremity the ninth inning astatine Daikin Park successful Houston, Texas, March 10, 2026. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)

But the upset nonaccomplishment to Italy exposed vulnerabilities and temporarily enactment the Americans’ quarterfinal hopes successful jeopardy. Team USA yet precocious retired of excavation play acknowledgment to different results, though failing to triumph the radical placed them successful a much hard bracket going forward.

With the knockout rounds underway, Team USA volition present look to quiescent critics connected the tract and beryllium DeRosa’s religion successful the roster was justified.

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