David Bednar Joins Team USA’s Bullpen for 2026 World Baseball Classic
Team USA just added another serious weapon to its bullpen. Yankees closer David Bednar is officially suiting up for the red, white, and blue in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, USA Baseball announced Thursday.
This marks Bednar’s second go-around with Team USA, having previously pitched in the 2023 tournament. That run ended in heartbreak - a 3-2 loss to Samurai Japan in the championship game - but Bednar was part of a bullpen that kept the U.S. in it until the final out. Now, with another WBC on the horizon and the roster shaping up to be even stronger, Bednar’s return adds a proven late-inning arm to a group that’s already looking stacked.
Since being traded from the Pirates to the Yankees at the 2025 deadline, Bednar has been everything New York hoped for and then some. In the postseason, he was lights out - two saves, five appearances, and a 1.50 ERA. That kind of performance under pressure is exactly what Team USA needs in March when the tournament kicks off.
Bednar isn’t the only recent addition. He joins Padres flamethrower Mason Miller and Tigers ace Tarik Skubal as the latest names to commit to manager Mark DeRosa’s squad. And make no mistake: this pitching staff is shaping up to be a major upgrade from the one we saw in 2023.
That year’s rotation leaned heavily on seasoned vets like Adam Wainwright, Lance Lynn, and Kyle Freeland - solid names, but not the kind of elite-level arms you’d expect in a championship push. This time around, the U.S. is rolling in with Cy Young winners like Paul Skenes and Skubal, plus a bullpen that includes Garrett Whitlock, Griffin Jax, Garrett Cleavinger, and now Bednar. That’s a group that can match up with anybody.
Leadership won’t be in short supply either. Yankees superstar Aaron Judge is set to captain the team, bringing both his bat and his clubhouse presence to a roster full of firepower. The U.S. opens WBC play on Friday, March 6, against Brazil at Houston’s Daikin Park.
With Bednar back in the mix and the arms looking deeper than ever, Team USA isn’t just chasing redemption - they’re coming for the title.