SURPRISE, Ariz. – For a 13-year veteran who has pitched for six teams and reached the postseason five times, Michael Wacha is accustomed to performing under pressure. But the opportunity to represent the United States in the World Baseball Classic is something he hadn’t anticipated – until now.
The Kansas City Royals right-hander has been selected for Team USA’s roster for the upcoming tournament, which begins March 6th with a game against Brazil in Houston. Wacha will be joined by Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr., as well as teammates Vinnie Pasquantino and Jac Caglianone, who will be competing for Italy.
“It’s an incredible honor, for sure, getting to put that USA jersey on,” Wacha said. “I thought it was very cool when I was in high school and college. But getting to be able to do it in the pros and where I’m at in my career, it’s definitely a cool feeling. Getting to go out there with those guys and that roster — it’s an incredibly stacked team. I’m looking forward to that experience.”
Wacha’s inclusion on the Team USA roster came after careful consideration of his spring training schedule and workload. He confirmed that participating in the WBC wouldn’t disrupt his preparation for the season with the Royals. The tournament’s timing aligns well with his regular build-up program, allowing him to contribute without jeopardizing his availability for the MLB season.
“It really is almost to the exact day of where I would be building up for the regular season, as well,” Wacha explained. “It just made sense. I’m not going out of my way to ramp up earlier and putting extra stress on my arm.”
Discussions with Royals pitching coach Brian Sweeney were instrumental in solidifying Wacha’s decision. They collaborated to ensure the innings pitched in the WBC would complement his existing spring training plan. The added adrenaline of competing in meaningful games was seen as a potential benefit, rather than a hindrance.
“I told him, ‘If it works out with my schedule and build-up, because I don’t want to do anything that would jeopardize our regular season here with the Royals and what I’m trying to accomplish with this team,’” Wacha said. “If it was going to interfere with that, then it wouldn’t be a good fit. But talking with Sweeney, it would be the exact spot where I would be building up and what they were looking for from me.”
Wacha has become a reliable presence in the Royals’ rotation over the past two seasons, particularly during the season, which was marked by numerous injuries to other starting pitchers. He made 31 starts last year, a career high, and posted a 3.86 ERA. He only missed one start due to a concussion in September.
His durability was a key factor in Team USA’s decision to invite him. Team officials sought a pitcher capable of handling a significant workload, joining a staff that includes Paul Skenes, Tarik Skubal, Joe Ryan, and Logan Webb. Wacha’s season saw him throw 172 ⅔ innings, the most he’s pitched in a single season since his All-Star campaign with the Cardinals in .
“I felt strong at the end of the year, and I was very happy with how that felt,” Wacha said. “Those last couple outings, the ball was still coming out good. I was hoping that we’d be able to get into the postseason, but it didn’t work out the way we were all hoping. But I’m looking to build off that and go out there and win a lot of games with this team.”
Wacha’s addition to the Team USA roster brings the total number of Royals players participating in the World Baseball Classic to eight. Salvador Perez will lead the Venezuelan squad, while Maikel Garcia will join him. Former Royals pitchers Gabe Speier and Brad Keller are also on the Team USA pitching staff, alongside current Royals Seth Lugo and Carlos Estévez.
Team USA will face a challenging pool that includes Great Britain, Mexico, and Italy, in addition to Brazil. The Americans will be looking to improve upon their performance in the World Baseball Classic, where they fell to Japan in the championship game, .
