Mark DeRosa responds to critics after Team USA’s upset loss to Italy
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Team USA supervisor Mark DeRosa responded to a query about criticism of his administration in the course of the World Baseball Classic after critics have piled on him in latest days.
“I have an undying passion for it and an undying belief in every guy on this roster,” DeRosa stated in an in-game interview with Fox Sports in the course of the Team USA sport vs. Canada.
“I don’t think there’s an A or a B. I think they’re all A’s.”
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DeRosa’s feedback come amid scrutiny after Team USA’s stunning 8–6 loss to Italy in pool play, a defeat that sparked widespread dialogue about lineup selections and feedback he made earlier than the sport in regards to the Americans’ event standing.
WBC Team USA Captain Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees and Team USA supervisor Mark DeRosa converse to the media throughout a sport between the Kansas City Royals and the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium April 14, 2025, in New York, NY (Mary DeCicco/MLB Photos)
Before the sport, DeRosa stated he believed Team USA had already clinched a spot within the knockout spherical, which proved incorrect as soon as Italy pulled off an upset. The miscalculation rapidly went viral and drew criticism from followers and analysts, some questioning the staff’s method and decision-making heading into the sport.
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Despite the backlash, DeRosa has insisted the criticism has created deceptive narratives about his dealing with of the staff and his understanding of the event format.
Manager Mark DeRosa of Team USA in the course of the singing of the nationwide anthem prior to a sport in opposition to Team Great Britain at Daikin Park March 7, 2026, in Houston, Texas. (Gabriella Ricciardi/MLB Photos by way of Getty Images)
Team USA entered the 2026 World Baseball Classic as one of many event favorites, boasting a star-studded lineup headlined by gamers resembling Aaron Judge and Kyle Schwarber. It is broadly thought of one of the proficient American squads ever assembled for the occasion.
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United States proper fielder Aaron Judge walks again to the dugout after putting out in opposition to Italy to finish the ninth inning at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, March 10, 2026. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)
But the upset loss to Italy exposed vulnerabilities and briefly put the Americans’ quarterfinal hopes in jeopardy. Team USA in the end superior out of pool play thanks to different outcomes, though failing to win the group positioned them in a tougher bracket going ahead.
With the knockout rounds underway, Team USA will now look to quiet critics on the sphere and show DeRosa’s religion within the roster was justified.
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