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Tampa Bay Rays relief pitcher Griffin Jax. Ken Blaze-Imagn Images

Team USA adds more pitching depth to roster, but still lacks a closer

By Zachary Cariola | Last updated Jan 14, 2026 11:55 AM ET

While excitement builds for Major League Baseball and the season that is fast approaching, there’s also excitement building for the World Baseball Classic.

Taking place from March 5-17, this year's tournament (featuring the favorites: Team USA, Team Japan (Samurai) and the Dominican Republic) has the potential to be better than the last one. Team USA has all the makings of having a dynamic offense heading into the tournament, with the reigning American League MVP, Aaron Judge, leading the charge. AL and NL Cy Young Award winners Tarik Skubal and Paul Skenes headline the rotation.

Lacking depth in its bullpen, Team USA finally took the hint, adding Seattle Mariners reliever Gabe Speier and Tampa Bay Rays reliever Griffin Jax to its pen, giving it some experience in late-inning situations.

Jax was the first player to debut in the major leagues after graduating from the Air Force Academy, according to USA Today's Bob Nightengale.

Tampa Bay Rays reliever Griffin Jax, the first Air Force Academy graduate in MLB history, also joins Team USA at the WBC.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) January 14, 2026

Team USA’s roster is close to being completed, but lacks an experienced closer

Having the two best pitchers in Skubal and Skenes to anchor the rotation, the bullpen will need to be decent and hold leads from the seventh or eighth innings on, as both Skubal and Skenes are likely to take the ball until they can’t. Manager Mark DeRosa has options to turn to, with Speier and Jax joining some decent arms in the bullpen, such as RHP David Bednar, LHP Garrett Cleavinger, RHP Mason Miller and RHP Garrett Whitlock.

Gabe Speier will pitch for Team USA for the World Baseball Classic

He joins a group of relievers that includes David Bednar, Garrett Cleavinger, Griffin Jax, Mason Miller and Garrett Whitlock pic.twitter.com/mQLrpRK7PP
— Talkin' Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) January 14, 2026

Though Speier and Jax offer depth and more options for high-leverage situations, Team USA and DeRosa don’t have an experienced closer to lock down the end of games. Bednar (111 career saves) and Miller (50 career saves) have closing experience, but would not be the best options to turn to.

Miller has taken down middle relief innings. Bednar has performed well as a closer, posting a 2-0 record with a 2.03 ERA (34 games) and 27 saves in save situations.

Bednar and Miller could wind up being solid options for DeRosa to turn to for the ninth, but if Team USA wants to win, adding a closer with more experience could help. Houston Astros closer Josh Hader and new Miami Marlins closer Pete Fairbanks are options. Fairbanks is coming off his best season, saves-wise (27), and will likely be the Marlins closer this season. Hader has established himself as one of the best closers in baseball, finishing last season with 28 saves and finishing with 30+ saves for four straight seasons between 2021-24.

Zachary Cariola

My name is Zachary Cariola and I have been a sports fan for as long as I can remember. My areas of expertise are MLB, NBA, and NFL. When I’m not writing, I love spending time with my family and learning history.

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