SCOTTSDALE, Ariz. — Team USA opened its 2026 World Baseball Classic exhibition slate with a statement on Tuesday afternoon, rolling past the San Francisco Giants 15-1 in 10 innings at Scottsdale Stadium on an 81-degree sunny day in the desert.
Witt Jr. single.
Harper double.
Judge two-run single.We could get used to this ?
? @espn pic.twitter.com/oj7HJzV7eL
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 3, 2026
The Americans piled up 19 hits, went 9-for-26 with runners in scoring position, and struck out 12 Giants hitters while allowing just one run. The game ended in three hours and five minutes, and automated ball-strike technology was not used.
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“For me it’s about getting them their at-bats, getting their pitches in, and getting out of here healthy,” manager Mark DeRosa said pregame. By the end, the takeaways were louder than the score.
Judge Starts It, Then the Depth Takes Over
Team USA set the tone immediately.
Bobby Witt Jr. opened the game with a single, Bryce Harper followed with a double, and captain Aaron Judge delivered a two-run single into center field to put the United States ahead 2-0 in the top of the first inning.
San Francisco answered with its lone run in the bottom half when Willy Adames doubled and scored on a Patrick Bailey groundout, but the game quickly tilted back toward the United States — and never returned.
Bregman Goes Deep, Harper Adds On
After quiet middle innings, Alex Bregman stretched the lead in the fourth with a solo home run to left-center off Blade Tidwell.
Harper followed in the fifth with a two-run single to right field to score Brice Turang and Witt, extending the margin to 5-1 and opening the floodgates for a lineup that never stopped applying pressure.
Roman Anthony Joins the Party
One of the loudest moments came in the sixth inning, when Boston Red Sox outfielder Roman Anthony launched a two-run homer to right field off Tidwell, scoring Cal Raleigh to make it 7-1.
DeRosa said Anthony’s adjustment into a veteran-packed room has been immediate.
Roman Anthony CRUSHED this ball ? pic.twitter.com/oD5Owr56Wk
— World Baseball Classic (@WBCBaseball) March 3, 2026
“You don’t realize how young he is,” DeRosa said. “But the quality of at-bats from these guys is impressive… it took him like all of three at-bats to get calm.”
Anthony finished 1-for-3 with a home run, two RBIs, and two strikeouts.
A Seventh-Inning Avalanche
Team USA blew the game open in the seventh inning with a run of scoring that reflected exactly what DeRosa has emphasized about this roster — relentless matchups, no soft spots.
Charlie Szykowny doubled home Pete Crow-Armstrong. Dakota Jordan followed with an RBI single. Gavin Kilen added another RBI hit. Gunnar Henderson doubled in two more, and Crow-Armstrong capped the surge with an RBI double.
By the end of the frame, the United States had turned a comfortable lead into a rout.
“There’s just no breaks,” Team USA starter Paul Skenes said. “When you get to the bottom half of the order, there’s no break — it’s hard to pitch to.”
Skenes Brings the Heat, Bullpen Slams the Door
Skenes earned the win after throwing three innings, allowing one hit and one earned run while striking out four. He threw 40 pitches, including 28 strikes, and topped out at 99.7 mph.
After Skenes, the pitching staff stacked clean innings: Matthew Boyd (2.2 IP, 4 K), Dabovich, David Bednar, Mason Miller, Griffin Jax, and Gabe Speier combined to hold the Giants to six hits total.
Miller’s velocity drew reaction inside the ballpark and reinforced how different this staff looks heading into Pool B.
“Mason Miller is just ungodly with his stuff,” DeRosa said.
The Postgame Scene
After the final out, DeRosa pointed to something that stood out beyond the box score: the way the roster stayed together.
Standouts from Giants’ 15-1 loss to Team USA:
Willy Adames: 1-3, 2B
Patrick Bailey: 1-3, 2B, RBI
Casey Schmitt: 1-2, 2B
Victor Bericoto: 1-3
Dakota Jordan (USA): 1-3, RBI
Scott Bandura (USA): 1-2, BB
Gavin Kilen (USA): 1-3, RBIAdrian Houser: 3 IP, 3 H, 2 ER, 2 BB, 3 K
Will…— SF Giants Update (@Giants__Update) March 3, 2026
“The game’s over, but everybody’s still got their uniform on — not a single guy left,” DeRosa said. “That’s what I wanted to create… an environment where these guys didn’t want to leave.”
DeRosa said the tone of the group — and the buy-in — has been obvious.
“It speaks to the testament of the guys wanting to be here and the character of the group,” he said.
Phelps’ Message Lands
Olympic legend Michael Phelps also addressed Team USA during camp, and DeRosa said the message matched the standard inside the room.
“He was intense,” DeRosa said. “Second place is not going to get it done — that was kind of his message.”
Skenes said the environment feels real — even in exhibition play.
“It’s a different feeling, almost like a new call-up again,” he said. “Glad I got the first one out of the way and shook the nerves out a little bit.”
What’s Next for Team USA
Team USA plays its final exhibition game on March 4 against the Colorado Rockies at Salt River Fields at Talking Stick before traveling to Houston for Pool B play at Daikin Park.
Pool B – Daikin Park (Houston, Texas)
United States, Mexico, Brazil, Great Britain, Italy
USA Pool B Schedule
March 6 — United States vs. Brazil — 8 p.m. EDT
March 7 — Great Britain vs. United States — 8 p.m. EDT
March 9 — Mexico vs. United States — 8 p.m. EDT
March 10 — Italy vs. United States — 9 p.m. EDT
The United States has not won the World Baseball Classic since 2017, but Tuesday’s opener showed why this roster believes the path back to gold is real.
“When they go out and score like that, they take all the nerves out of it,” Skenes said. “If we can keep them to one like we did today, we’ll win a lot.”
Photo: United States’ Aaron Judge signs autographs prior to an exhibition game against the San Francisco Giants on March 3, 2026, at Scottsdale Stadium in Scottsdale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin)
