New York Yankees closer David Bednar announced his commitment to Team USA on Thursday for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Bednar joins Yankee outfielder and reigning American League MVP Aaron Judge as the second Yankee to commit to Team USA.
Acquired at the 2025 trade deadline from the Pittsburgh Pirates, Bednar was a welcome addition to the Yankees’ bullpen. The group was in desperate need of consistency, something Bednar provided in the regular season and postseason. In 2025, he made 64 relief appearances while not allowing a run in 53 of those. He recorded 86 strikeouts and 19 walks, resulting in a 26.7 K-BB%. This all came after a career-worst season in 2024, one that saw him post career lows in several statistical categories.
2026 will be Bednar’s second World Baseball Classic appearance for Team USA. In 2023, David Bednar went 1-0 with a 2.25 ERA and five strikeouts across four innings, helping Team USA advance to the WBC Championship game. He will be the first Yankee relief pitcher to play for Team USA since Tyler Clippard in 2017.
Bednar joins relievers Garrett Whitlock of the Boston Red Sox, Garrett Cleavinger and Griffin Jax of the Tampa Bay Rays, and Mason Miller of the San Diego Padres in the Team USA bullpen. The group will be coached by two-time World Series champion and former Chicago Cubs manager David Ross.
After winning the World Baseball Classic in 2017, Team USA finished as the runner-up to Japan in 2023. In the round robin stage, Team USA won all three of its games. They took down Great Britain 6-2 in Game One, before beating Canada 12-7 in Game Two. In Game Three, they squeaked out a 3-2 victory over Colombia to remain perfect.
In the quarterfinals, Philadelphia Phillies shortstop Trea Turner launched a grand slam as Team USA beat Venezuela 9-7. The group then dismantled Cuba in the semifinals, thrashing them 14-2. In the WBC Final, Team USA’s repeat bid fell short as the group lost to Japan, 3-2. Turner launched another home run, while Kyle Schwarber hit a solo shot of his own. Still, it wasn’t enough as RBI from St. Louis Cardinals outfielder Lars Nootbaar and NPB stars Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto helped Japan emerge victorious.
The 2026 World Baseball Classic begins on March 5, 2026. As for Team USA, their first game will be the following day against Team Brazil at 7 p.m. Team USA will be managed by 16-year MLB veteran Mark DeRosa, while Andy Pettitte, Skip Schumaker, Matt Holliday, Dino Ebel, George Lombard, Fredi Gonzalez, Ross, Brian McCann, and Michael Young assist him.
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