As the World Baseball Classic reaches the final day of group play, the buzz is all about Team USA's unexpected loss to Team Italy. Italy came out swinging, building an impressive 8-0 lead and ultimately clinching the game 8-6. Now, the Americans find themselves in a nail-biting situation, hoping for an Italian victory over Mexico on Wednesday to keep their tournament dreams alive.
If Mexico manages a win, it will trigger a three-way tiebreaker based on runs allowed among the three teams. For Team USA to advance, they need Mexico to score at least five runs if they defeat Italy. Otherwise, the Americans could find themselves finishing third in the group, effectively ending their campaign.
The team is now in the position of spectators, waiting anxiously for the outcome of the Italy vs. Mexico showdown.
In the midst of this, one of Team USA's pitchers, Michael Wacha, has returned to Phoenix, Arizona, to rejoin the Royals for spring training. His return follows Tarik Skubal's similar move after just one appearance in the WBC. Wacha's single outing came after Logan Webb took the mound in the opener against Brazil.
According to Quatraro, Wacha's limited participation was part of the plan, and he's set to make his next Cactus League start on Friday. In his WBC appearance against Brazil, Wacha pitched three innings, allowing three earned runs on four hits while striking out five. Despite a challenging outing, he showed precision, throwing 31 strikes out of 39 pitches.
Looking ahead, the Royals face the Arizona Diamondbacks on Friday, where Wacha is expected to extend his performance to at least four innings, gearing up for the upcoming season.