Twenty years after its debut, the World Baseball Classic has grown into a global showcase - a tournament that doesn’t just celebrate baseball’s international reach, but elevates it. What started as an ambitious idea between Major League Baseball and the Players' Association has evolved into a can't-miss event for fans and players alike. And for someone like Trea Turner, who shined on the WBC stage just three years ago, the desire to run it back in 2026 was strong.
But this time around, Turner won’t be suiting up for Team USA.
“It’s something I wanted to do. The phone never rang,” Turner told reporters, clearly disappointed by the call that never came.
“It’s so much fun. I gladly would have done it again.
I said it last time, if they ever ask, I would say yes. They’ve got a great roster this year.
It’s stacked.”
And he’s not wrong - this year’s Team USA lineup is loaded. We’re talking about a roster that features some of the biggest names in the game: Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Pete Crow-Armstrong, Brice Turang, Gunnar Henderson, and more. With that kind of depth and talent, even a three-time All-Star like Turner found himself on the outside looking in.
Turner, who turns 33 in June, was a breakout star during the 2023 WBC. He didn’t just contribute - he carried Team USA’s offense at times.
He crushed five home runs, drove in 11 runs, and hit .391 over the course of the tournament. His performance was electric, the kind that sticks in fans' memories and earns a permanent spot in highlight reels.
But even with Turner’s heroics, the U.S. came up just short in the title game, falling 3-2 to Japan in a tightly contested final.
That loss stung, especially after the Americans had won it all in 2017 with a dominant 8-0 victory over Puerto Rico. That remains the lone WBC title for Team USA.
Japan, meanwhile, has claimed three of the five tournaments held so far, further cementing its place as an international baseball powerhouse. The 2020 edition was canceled due to the pandemic, adding extra weight to every pitch and at-bat when the tournament returned in 2023.
Now, with the 2026 WBC set to take place across Miami, Houston, San Juan, and Tokyo from March 5th through the 17th, the stage is set once again for baseball’s best to represent their countries. And while Turner won’t be part of the action this time, his impact on the tournament’s history - especially that 2023 run - is already secure.
Still, for a player who thrives on competition and has proven he can rise to the moment on the world stage, sitting this one out isn’t easy. Turner made it clear: he was ready, willing, and eager. But in a tournament where roster spots are more competitive than ever, sometimes even the stars have to watch from the sidelines.