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The United States fell in the World Baseball Classic in a thriller Tuesday night in Miami, while its All-Star closer maintained a hot seat in the bullpen.
Mason Miller did not enter the championship game against Venezuela after making saves against Canada and the Dominican Republic in the quarterfinals and semifinals on Friday and Sunday, respectively.
After Bryce Harper hit a home run in the bottom of the eighth to tie the game at two, it created a perfect scenario for a closer to enter the game in the ninth, as closers typically pitch in tied games like the home team in the top of the ninth.
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Team USA’s Mason Miller shakes hands with manager Mark DeRosa after receiving this silver medal following the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship presented by Capital One game between Team Venezuela and Team USA at LoanDepot Park on Tuesday, March 17, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Daniel Shirey/WBCI/MLB Photos via Getty Images)
Instead, Mark DeRosa opted for Boston Red Sox reliever Garrett Whitlock, who gave up the winning run.
DeRosa, who said before the game that Miller was available, revealed that Miller’s availability was only under one condition.
“Honoring the [San Diego] Padres,” DeRosa said, implying that the Padres told DeRosa that Miller could only be used in a save situation. “If we had taken the lead, he would come in, but I wasn’t going to put him in a tied game.”
Mason Miller of Team USA pitches in the ninth inning against Team Dominican Republic during the ninth inning at LoanDepot Park on March 15, 2026 in Miami, Florida. (Gene Wang/Media Capture/Getty Images)
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Of course, a save situation was never going to happen once the United States entered the ninth inning without a lead. Therefore, Miller was ultimately never available.
Contrary to apparently popular belief, the United States was not the only WBC team to comply with the restrictions imposed by MLB clubs. The FOX broadcast mentioned how Venezuela manager Omar López was on the phone with MLB team officials the morning of the championship about regulations for specific pitchers.
For example, the Detroit Tigers did not allow reliever Enmanuel De Jesús to pitch under any circumstances on Tuesday, while the Chicago Cubs said closer Daniel Palencia, like Miller, was only allowed to pitch in a save situation.
The Venezuelan national team celebrates after defeating Italy in the semifinal of the World Baseball Classic in Miami, Florida, on March 16, 2026. (AP Photo/Lynne Sladky)
There was pregame speculation that New York Yankees closer David Bednar was unavailable for Team USA on Tuesday after also pitching on Friday and Sunday.
Eugenio Suárez’s RBI double gave Venezuela its first World Baseball Classic title in the short history of the event, which began in 2006. For the United States, it was its second consecutive loss in the title game after winning it all in 2017.
