Which Team USA pitcher will start potential WBC championship game?

Team USA is entering the World Baseball Classic with a pitching rotation headlined by Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes. However, only one pitcher can start a potential WBC championship game.

Team USA must first advance to the final game. But if so, New York Mets pitcher Nolan McLean would be the one on the mound to start, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa confirmed to Joel Sherman of the New York Post.

Alongside a difficult road to the championship, McLean must get over his recent health wise. He has yet to report to Team USA after reporting vertigo-like symptoms. McLean is currently scheduled to pitch against Team Italy on Monday. How he responds to the vertigo-like symptoms will determine if that start still happens.

Still, Team USA is expecting to have McLean back sooner rather than later. His role as championship game starter comes in part due to other pitchers not being available like Skubal or Giants starter Logan Webb. At the same time though, it shows how highly Team USA and DeRosa think of the right-hander.

McLean burst onto the scene in 2025, pitching to a 2.06 ERA and a 57/16 K/BB ratio. While the sample size was small, it didn’t take long for the Mets pitcher to catch the eyes of the MLB world. Now, McLean is entering the 2026 season ranked as the sixth-best prospect in all of baseball, via MLB Pipeline.

The top prospect’s inclusion on Team USA was already an indication of how bright his star potential is already shining. Starting the WBC championship game would really show the world what McLean could do.

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