Team USA trailed for half the game but was awoken by Kyle Schwarber’s mammoth go-ahead home run in an eventual 9-1 win against Great Britain in the World Baseball Classic.
The Americans improved to 2-0 in pool play and has the day off Sunday before facing Mexico at Daikin Park in Houston.
Britain’s Nate Eaton led off the game with a solo home run off back-to-back Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and Team USA was unable to push a run across until Ernie Clement scored on a wild pitch to tie things 1-1 in the bottom of the fifth.
Schwarber followed with his two-run homer to put the U.S. ahead for good, the latest electrifying longball for the Phillies slugger who hit 56 home runs last season.
Britain falls to 0-2 in Pool B and faces Italy on Sunday.
Gunnar Henderson went 4-for-5 with 2 RBIs for Team USA and Clay Holmes picked up the win, striking out six in three scoreless innings after taking over from Skubal in the fourth.
Here’s how the game unfolded:
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USA adds three more, leads 8-1
The Americans sent nine batters to the plate in the bottom of the sixth and plated three more runs to seemingly put the game out of reach for Britain, which hasn’t scored since Nate Eaton led off the game with a homer.
Gunnar Henderson gives Team USA a cushion
After Kyle Schwarber’s home run put them in front 3-1, the Americans loaded the bases with two outs. Gunnar Henderson laced a double that scored two runs to extend Team USA’s lead to 5-1 through five innings.
Kyle Schwarber home run puts USA in front
Team USA finally got on the board when Ernie Clement scored on Andre Scrubb’s wild pitch – having reached base via a throwing error earlier in the fifth inning. Kyle Schwarber stepped to the plate and did what he did best, destroying a cutter from Scrubb into the upper bleachers in right field, giving the Americans a 3-1 lead.
Najer Victor strikes out five MVP awards
Najer Victor replaced starter Tyler Viza on the mound for Britain in the fourth, and the 24-year-old Angels prospect proceeded to strike out Aaron Judge (three MVPs) and Bryce Harper (two). Victor walked Will Smith with two outs but whiffed Gunnar Henderson with a slider to end an eight-pitch battle to end the frame.
Victor had a 4.87 ERA in 35 relief appearances in Single-A last season.
Tarik Skubal done after three, Clay Holmes in for USA
Tarik Skubal gave up a home run on his first pitch of the night but retired nine of the next 10 batters including five strikeouts and is being replaced by right-hander Clay Holmes to start the fourth inning after 41 pitches.
This is the only appearance Skubal is making in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, planning to return to spring training with the Tigers after the game against Great Britain.
Holmes retired all three batters he faced in the top of the fourth.
Trayce Thompson robs Will Smith
With one out in the bottom of the second Team USA catcher drove an offering from Tyler Viza to the right field wall, but outfielder Trayce Thompson made an epic leaping catch to keep Britain ahead.
Thompson, the younger brother of NBA star Klay Thompson, has played 369 MLB games over seven seasons since his debut in 2015, mostly reecently appearing in the majors in 2023.
Tarik Skubal settles in
After giving up a home run on his first pitch of the night, Tarik Skubal only needed 20 more to retire the next six Britain hitters. The Tigers’ back-to-back Cy Young winner has racked up a pair of strikeouts through the first two innings.
Nate Eaton home run leads off for Team GB
Leading off the game against reigning Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal, Nate Eaton crushed a ball to left-center that was initially have ruled to have hit the wall. A review overturned the call on the field, giving Eaton a solo home run and the Brits an unlikely 1-0 lead.
Eaton, 29, made his MLB debut in 2022 and has played 113 games across three seasons with the Royals and Red Sox.
USA lineup tonight vs Britain
Starter: LHP Tarik Skubal – Tigers
- Kyle Schwarber, DH – Phillies
- Alex Bregman, 3B – Cubs
- Aaron Judge, RF – Yankees
- Bryce Harper, 1B – Phillies
- Will Smith, C – Dodgers
- Gunnar Henderson, SS – Orioles
- Roman Anthony, LF – Red Sox
- Ernie Clement, 2B – Blue Jays
- Pete Crow‑Armstrong, CF – Cubs
Great Britain lineup tonight
Starter: RHP Tyler Viza
- Nate Eaton, CF
- Jazz Chisholm Jr., 2B
- Harry Ford, C
- BJ Murray, 1B
- Kristian Robinson, LF
- Ivan Johnson, 3B
- Justin Wylie, DH
- Trayce Thompson, RF
- Ian Lewis Jr., SS
Tarik Skubal stats
- 2025: 13-6, 2.21 ERA, 31 GS, 195.1 IP, 241 SO, 0.89 WHIP – AL Cy Young winner
- 2024: 18-4, 2.39 ERA, 31 GS, 192.0 IP, 228 SO, 0.92 WHIP – AL Cy Young winner
- 2023: 7-3, 2.80 ERA, 15 GS, 80.1 IP, 102 SO, 0.90 WHIP
- 2022: 7-8, 3.52 ERA, 21 GS, 117.2 IP, 117 SO, 1.16 WHIP
- 2021: 8-12, 4.34 ERA, 29 GS, 149.1 IP, 164 SO, 1.26 WHIP
- 2020: 1-4, 5.63 ERA, 7 GS, 32.0 IP, 37 SO, 1.22 WHIP
USA World Baseball Classic schedule 2026
- March 6: United States 15, Brazil 5
- March 7: USA vs. Great Britain
- March 9: USA vs. Mexico
- March 10: USA vs. Italy
- Quarterfinals: March 13 and 14
- Semifinals: March 15 and 16 in Miami
- Championship game: March 17 in Miami
Team USA WBC roster 2026
Catchers
- Cal Raleigh (Mariners)
- Will Smith (Dodgers)
Infielders
- Bryce Harper (1B, Phillies)
- Paul Goldschmidt (1B, Yankees)
- Brice Turang (2B, Brewers)
- Alex Bregman (3B, Cubs)
- Bobby Witt Jr. (SS, Royals)
- Gunnar Henderson (SS, Orioles)
- Ernie Clement (UTIL, Blue Jays)
Outfielders
- Aaron Judge (Captain, Yankees)
- Corbin Carroll (Diamondbacks)
- Pete Crow-Armstrong (Cubs)
- Byron Buxton (Twins)
- Roman Anthony (Red Sox)
- Kyle Schwarber (Phillies)
Pitchers
- Logan Webb (Giants)
- Tarik Skubal (Tigers)
- Paul Skenes (Pirates)
- Nolan McLean (Mets)
- Clay Holmes (Mets)
- Michael Wacha (Royals)
- Matthew Boyd (Cubs)
- Mason Miller (Padres)
- David Bednar (Yankees)
- Clayton Kershaw (Retired)
- Griffin Jax (Rays)
- Garrett Whitlock (Red Sox)
- Ryan Yarbrough (Yankees)
- Gabe Speier (Mariners)
- Garrett Cleavinger (Rays)
- Brad Keller (Phillies)
World Baseball Classic predictions
Pick for championship game and tournament MVP
- Bob Nightengale: USA over Japan / Aaron Judge MVP
- Gabe Lacques: Japan over USA / Shohei Ohtani
- Jesse Yomtov: Japan over USA / Yoshinobu Yamamoto
- Steve Gardner: USA over Dominican Republic / Bobby Witt Jr.
WBC Pool C schedule
- March 7: Great Britain vs. United States
- March 8: Great Britain vs. Italy
- March 8: Brazil vs. Mexico
- March 9: Brazil vs. Great Britain
- March 9: Mexico vs. United States
- March 10: Italy vs. United States
- March 11: Italy vs. Mexico
How to watch USA vs Great Britain: TV channel, WBC stream
- Time: 8 p.m. ET
- TV channel: Fox
- Live stream: FoxSports.com / Fubo