[SPOTV News = Reporter Seunghwan Park] Despite the controversy surrounding Tarik Skubal (Detroit Tigers), the United States looked every bit the favorite. The U.S. toppled Mexico and became the first team in Group B to reach 3–0.
Team USA beat Mexico 5–3 on March 10 (KST) at Daikin Park in Houston, Texas, in a Group B game of the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Both clubs entered the matchup with two wins apiece, but the U.S. left the field with the momentum. The Americans opened with Bobby Witt Jr. (SS), Bryce Harper (1B), Aaron Judge (RF), Kyle Schwarber (DH), Alex Bregman (3B), Cal Raleigh (C), Roman Anthony (LF), Byron Buxton (CF) and Bryson Turang (2B). On the bump, they turned to last year’s Cy Young winner, Paul Skenes.
Mexico countered with a loaded lineup of its own: Jarred Duran (RF), Randy Arozarena (LF), Jonathan Aranda (1B), Alejandro Kirk (C), Rowdy Tellez (DH), Nacho Alvarez Jr. (3B), Nick Gonzalez (2B), Alec Thomas (CF) and Joey Ortiz (SS).
Skubal, who allowed a homer in his outing against Great Britain and logged 3.0 innings with one earned run, was removed from the roster. Skenes was a different story. He opened the game by flashing a 99.7-mph fastball (about 160.5 km/h) and retired Mexico’s top of the order in the first inning. He added two strikeouts in the second and continued to shut down the lineup.
Skenes stayed sharp. He struck out two more in the third and, aided by a strong throw to third from Aaron Judge, escaped the inning unscathed. In the fourth, shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. made a game-saving play behind him. Skenes finished with four innings, allowing one hit and one walk while striking out seven and yielding no runs.
The pitching set the tone, and the offense answered. After being held scoreless through two frames, Team USA’s bats erupted in the third when Mexico turned to reliever Jesús Cruz. With no outs and a runner on first following a Bryce Harper single, Aaron Judge drilled a two-run homer off Cruz to give the U.S. a 2–0 lead.
The rally continued. After Schwarber’s single and a hit-by-pitch on Cal Raleigh created a first-and-second opportunity, Roman Anthony launched a three-run homer to extend the lead to 5–0.
Mexico, loaded with major-league talent, pushed back. In the top of the sixth, Jarred Duran hit a solo homer off reliever Matthew Boyd. Consecutive hits from Jonathan Aranda, Alejandro Kirk and Joey Meneses cut the deficit to 5–2. Duran added another solo shot in the eighth to make it 5–3.
In the end, Team USA held on. They didn’t score after the third inning, but the pitching staff limited Mexico to just three runs after Skenes exited, sealing a 5–3 win and a perfect 3–0 start in Group B.
