Team USA manager Mark DeRosa reveals reasoning for not bringing in All-Star closer in WBC final

The United States fell successful the World Baseball Classic successful a thriller connected Tuesday nighttime successful Miami, portion their All-Star person kept a spot lukewarm successful the bullpen.

Mason Miller did not participate the title crippled against Venezuela aft getting saves against Canada and the Dominican Republic successful the quarterfinals and semifinals connected Friday and Sunday, respectively.

After Bryce Harper homered successful the bottommost of the eighth to necktie the crippled astatine two, it prompted a cleanable script for a person to participate the crippled successful the ninth, arsenic typically, closers transportation successful necktie games arsenic the location squad successful the apical of the ninth.

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Mason Miller of Team USA shakes hands with Manager Mark DeRosa aft receiving this metallic medal aft the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship crippled presented by Capital One betwixt Team Venezuela and Team USA astatine loanDepot Park connected Tuesday, March 17, 2026, successful Miami, Florida. (Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)

Instead, Mark DeRosa opted for Boston Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock, who gave up the winning run.

DeRosa, who said earlier the crippled Miller was available, revealed that Miller's availability was lone nether 1 condition.

"Honoring the [San Diego] Padres," DeRosa said, hinting that the Padres told DeRosa that Miller could lone beryllium utilized successful a prevention situation. "Had we taken the lead, helium was coming in, but I wasn’t going to bring him successful into a necktie game."

Mason Miller of Team United States pitches successful the ninth inning against Team Dominican Republic during the ninth inning astatine loanDepot parkland connected March 15, 2026, successful Miami, Florida. (Gene Wang/Capture At Media/Getty Images)

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Of course, a prevention concern was ne'er going to hap erstwhile the United States entered the ninth inning without a lead. Thus, Miller yet was ne'er made available.

Contrary to seemingly fashionable belief, the United States was not the lone squad successful the WBC to abide by restrictions acceptable retired by MLB clubs. The FOX broadcast mentioned however Venezuela manager Omar Lopez was connected the telephone with MLB squad officials the greeting of the title astir regulations for circumstantial pitchers. 

For example, the Detroit Tigers would not let reliever Enmanuel De Jesus to transportation nether immoderate circumstances connected Tuesday, portion the Chicago Cubs said person Daniel Palencia, similar Miller, was lone allowed to transportation successful a prevention situation.

The Venezuela squad celebrates aft defeating Italy astatine a World Baseball Classic semifinal crippled successful Miami, Florida, connected March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)

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There was pregame speculation that New York Yankees person David Bednar was wholly unavailable for Team USA connected Tuesday aft besides pitching Friday and Sunday.

Eugenio Suarez's RBI treble gave Venezuela its archetypal World Baseball Classic rubric successful the abbreviated past of the event, which began successful 2006. For the U.S., it was its 2nd consecutive nonaccomplishment successful the rubric crippled aft winning it each successful 2017.

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