New Headline: "Bullseye! Rookie Faces Off Against Prospects in USA's Top Batting Battle
The United States will attempt to defeat Venezuela in the championship game of the World Baseball Classic on March 17 without two of its most accomplished players. MORE: Clayton Kershaw, son share heartwarming moment before WBC final Third baseman Gunnar Henderson and catcher Cal Raleigh were nowhere to be found, replaced by Alex Bregman and Will Smith, respectively, in manager Mark DeRosa’s lineup. Lineups for today’s #WorldBaseballClassic Final between Team Venezuela and Team USA!
pic. twitter. com/X9Xa7R2Jvh — World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 17, 2026 Overall, Henderson is hitting .
429 (highest of any U. S. player) in three WBC games.
The 2024 American League Rookie of the Year went 4-for-5 in a 9-1 pool play win over Great Britain on March 7. He homered during an 8-6 pool play loss to Italy on March 10. In the U.
S. ’ semifinal victory over the Dominican Republic on March 15, Henderson hit the game-tying home run in the fourth inning. Raleigh, who hit an American League-leading 60 home runs last year for the Seattle Mariners, is 0 for 9 in the tournament.