Team USA fans celebrate Paul Skenes 2026 WBC commitment with Avengers hype

When the 2023 World Baseball Classic was going on, Paul Skenes was lighting up the college world. He was busy trying to get Louisiana State University into the NCAA College World Series.

All in all, Skenes was likely talented enough to pitch on the Team USA staff, which could have used some more pitching commitments. However, he is locked in now, as he recently made his commitment for the 2026 tournament.

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Skenes is a top arm in the MLB, something the American team has struggled to get throughout recent tournaments. He will join Aaron Judge, who made his commitment and was named the captain last month.

While it is still early, fans are starting to get excited about the 2026 World Baseball Classic. With Judge and Skenes at the forefront, this team is on the verge of being a superteam.

"Come on we building the Avengers" one fan posted.

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"Love this! Congrats Paul Skenes. Very well deserved" said another.

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"Can't wait til 2026!" said another.

So far, it is just Skenes and Judge who are committed, but that is enough to get these fans counting down the days. The WBC kicks off on March 5, 2026, with Team USA being a part of Pool B.

"Let's go! Continue to assemble the best USA team we have seen" said another.

"Yeah, we're going all the way" said another.

"It's over for everyone else" said another.

Skenes' commitment could open the door to other big-time arms in the MLB to follow suit. Tarik Skubal has expressed his interest in the past and would be an excellent addition.

Paul Skenes is looking to help Team USA recover from a tough loss to Japan during the 2023 WBC

Pittsburgh Pirates - Paul Skenes (Photo via IMAGN)

Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes has done nothing but turn heads since he made his MLB debut last season. He won the National League Rookie of the Year last season, showcasing his elite nature on the mound.

He will look to help Team USA rebound from a championship loss to Team Japan during the 2023 World Baseball Classic. It was an exciting final out as Mike Trout stepped up to the plate against Shohei Ohtani, but failed to deliver.

One weakness of that American team was its pitching staff. Hopefully, Skenes is just the start of multiple top arms across the MLB that want to represent their country.

About the author

Jared "Bloomy" Bloom is a journalist covering Major League Baseball at Sportskeeda and a former college baseball pitcher from Illinois, who just graduated with a Master's degree in Sport Psychology.

A writer with over 3 years of experience, Jared is consistently more concerned with quality than quantity, thoroughly checking multiple sources of information, and prides himself in being knowledgeable not just about MLB, but the game of baseball in general. He loves breaking down plays and game-changing moments, as well as looking closer into players' statistics.

Jared is a die-hard Chicago White Sox fan, and one of his earliest memories is seeing his great-grandfather, a huge Sox fan, in his rocking chair watching a game. Jared started playing from the age of 5 with his grandfather coaching him early on.

Jared loved Tim Lincecum for his quirky delivery and looked up to him as a role model when playing. His current favorite is Phillies star Bryce Harper, an exciting player who doesn't let injuries hold him back. Jared's favorite sports moment is Mark Buehrle's opening day between-the-legs glove flip to first base in 2010.

When he is not watching or writing about baseball, Jared can be found racing BMX at his local Rockford BMX track or coaching his local youth travel baseball team.

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Edited by Jared "Bloomy" Bloom