Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

Pirates’ Paul Skenes Commits to Team USA for WBC 2026

Paul Skenes is taking his heat to the international stage!

Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes confirmed Tuesday on MLB Network that he will suit up for Team USA in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, marking a major commitment for both the 22-year-old phenom and USA Baseball’s push to attract top-tier American pitching talent to the tournament.

Paul Skenes will take the mound for Team USA in the 2026 #WorldBaseballClassic 🔥 pic.twitter.com/KjXJ95L3Un
— MLB (@MLB) May 13, 2025

It’s a massive win for the red, white, and blue, and a full-circle moment for a player who began his journey at the U.S. Air Force Academy, went on to dominate at LSU, and quickly ascended to MLB stardom after being selected first overall in the 2023 draft.

Since his debut last May, Paul Skenes has done more than live up to the hype, he’s blown it out of the water. In just over a season’s worth of starts, he’s gone 14–7 with a sparkling 2.16 ERA, racking up 223 strikeouts over 187 2/3 innings. “I’m excited to represent my country,” Skenes said during the announcement.

The United States, which won its lone WBC title in 2017, is looking to reclaim the crown after falling just short in the 2023 final. That tournament ended in unforgettable fashion as Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout to seal Japan’s title. With Skenes now part of the mix, Team USA is assembling a roster capable of rewriting that ending.

Paul Skenes Joins Aaron Judge

Skenes becomes the second confirmed player on Team USA’s 2026 roster, joining Yankees superstar Aaron Judge, who was named captain last month. The team will once again be led by manager Mark DeRosa, who oversaw the 2023 squad.

The upcoming WBC is set to begin March 6, 2026, with Team USA placed in Pool B. Their group-stage games will take place in Houston. Final rosters are still taking shape, but the inclusion of Skenes marks a seismic shift, one that USA Baseball has long been hoping for.

ALSO READ: Mike Trout’s Three-Word Response to Aaron Judge as Team USA Captain Says It All

Historically, elite American starters have been hesitant to commit to the WBC, often citing injury risks and spring training conflicts. In 2023, none of the 13 American starters who finished among the top 20 in ERA the previous MLB season chose to participate. The addition of Skenes, young, electric, and already a frontline ace, could be a turning point in that trend.

Just over a year into his big-league career, Skenes is already one of the most dominant pitchers in the big leagues. In 2026, he’ll get to prove it in front of the world.

Paul Skenes

Pirates

World Baseball Classic

Mohsin Baldiwala

mlb

Mohsin Baldiwala is a Master’s student in Journalism and freelance content producer who got hooked on baseball through Seinfeld’s hapless George Costanza. The same reason why he’s a Yankees fan. He writes about sports because he believes it can offer a brief escape from the world’s chaos. Even if that means enduring the heartbreak of the 2024 World Series.