The Mexican National Baseball Team suffered a heavy blow in the 2026 World Baseball Classic after losing 5-3 to the United States inone of the most intense games of the tournament. However, far from showing resignation, manager Benjamin Gil sent a strong message: Mexico wants to face its rival again and wants to do so in the final.
After the match, the Mexican strategist spoke frankly about the game, the decisions made during the game and the objective that remains intact for the team. For Gil, the defeat does not change the ambition of the group, which still dreams of fighting for the championship.
I hope to play against USA again. That would be amazing. I would be ecstatic to face them again
Mexico still fighting to advance in the World Baseball Classic
With the defeat against the United States, Mexico was left with a 2-1 record in the group, so the next game against Italy will be decisive to secure its place in the quarterfinals of the 2026 WBC.
The team led by Benji Gil knows that there is no margin for error. A victory against the Italians would allow the Mexican nine to stay alive in the tournament and continue with the dream of winning the title.
“What we are interested in from now on is to win four games in a row: one against Italy and three more against whoever,” Gil explained during the post-match press conference.
The message reflects the coaching staff’s confidence in the talent of the Mexican roster, which has shown an explosive offense and pitching capable of competing against any opponent.
The complications of the Mexican bullpen
One of the topics that generated debate after the game was the management of the bullpen. Gil explained that several decisions were conditioned by restrictions imposed by Major League Baseball organizations to protect the pitchers.
The strategist mentioned that the relief of Jesus Cruz was key in the development of the game, especially after the three-run homer that changed the dynamics of the game.
“He made a mistake and left two comfortable pitches. Speaking of the game, if you look at it, he didn’t make a mistake on a pitch; the one that cost us was the three-run homer,” explained the manager.
In addition, he explained that the team had to be careful with the use of important relievers such as Andres Munoz and Victor Vodnik, as using them too much could leave them out of the game against Italy.
We have to respect their organizations and think about the good of the player
Another of the points commented on by the Mexican manager was some pitches marked as strikes during Randy Arozarena‘s at-bats, which according to his perception generated doubts at key moments of the game.
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