Team USA’s Gunnar Henderson Decision Makes No Sense

Of course, Henderson was never going to see much time at shortstop sharing a team with the electric 25-year-old Kansas City Royal, Bobby Witt Jr. But over a month prior to the WBC, Henderson stated that he was open to playing third base for Team USA and said he was told that whoever was swinging the hottest bat would get the starting spot in the lineup (h/t Matt Weyrich, Baltimore Sun).

Witt has performed as expected, posting a .357 batting average and a .971 OPS with three stolen bases in 17 plate appearances, so his spot at shortstop is cemented. But Henderson has been scorching at the plate in his limited appearances so far with 5 hits in just 10 plate appearances, one of those leaving the yard, earning him a lofty 1.400 OPS in WBC play.

Alex Bregman Should Sit for Gunnar Henderson in USA-Canada

Team USA third basemanAlex Bregman's WBC has been ice-cold, with the new member of the Chicago Cubs turning in a .143 batting average with just one hit in 15 plate appearances, the majority of his value coming on defense and via the five walks he collected against subpar pool pitching.

Among those to criticize DeRosa for Henderson's benching was Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun.

"Facing elimination, Team USA manager Mark DeRosa is starting Alex Bregman and Brice Turang over Gunnar Henderson," he began. "Henderson started two of the four pool play games. He went 4-for-5 in the first and homered in the second. Yet, for some reason, he’s back on the bench."

If the starting spot goes to the hottest bat, Henderson should undoubtedly be starting over Bregman, especially considering the matchup on the mound. Team Canada is sending out Arizona Diamondbacks right-hander Michael Soroka, who debuted in 2018 and finished the 2025 season with an uninspiring 4.52 ERA across an injury-riddled 89 2/3 innings.

In 1,504 career plate appearances, Henderson has an .893 OPS against right-handed pitchers, including a home run off of Soroka himself. Bregman has a .839 OPS against right-handed pitchers in 3,747 plate appearances, with none of those appearances coming against Soroka.

While Bregman's defense at third could be DeRosa's justification for benching Henderson, the Orioles star led all MLBshortstops last season in fielding percentage, and has 767 innings of big league experience at third. And offensively, there is no question Team USA would be better off with Henderson starting at third base than they are with Bregman. Only time will tell if they'll come to regret their decision to leave him on the bench.