Team USA fans psyched as Lance Lynn draws the start in World Baseball Classic showdown vs. Venezuela: "The man America needs" "Big Dawg on the mound" 

It hasn't been the smoothest of World Baseball Classic runs for Team USA in 2023. The defending tournament champion managed to squeak its way to claiming the second qualifying spot out of Pool C – a group that most figured the U.S. would win with relative ease.

After unimpressively defeating World Baseball Classic debutant Team Great Britain in its tournament opener, the USA was laughed off the field by Team Mexico. It took a nail-biting one-run win over Pool C bottom-dweller Team Colombia for the United States to advance to the knockout round.

But the game nestled in-between was USA's finest: a 12-1 defeat of Team Canada. The starting pitcher in that game was Lance Lynn. So, it was fairly predictable that Americans would be revved up by the news that Lynn was named the starting pitcher for the USA's elimination opener against Pool D winner Team Venezuela in Miami, Fla., on Saturday.

Whether it's "Big Lance," "Big Dawg" or "Big Nasty," Lynn is the man that Team USA fans want on the mound with the squad in need of a victory against a team that went undefeated in the World Baseball Classic's "Group of Death."

Lynn tossed five innings of two-hit, one-run ball with six strikeouts against Canada. Of course, he was greatly assisted by his offensive teammates' best inning of the tournament as they teed off for six earned runs in one-third of an inning off Canadian starter Mitch Bratt – who doesn't have to shave yet.

Lynn has a 1.80 ERA in the tournament, the best of the four Team USA starters. Adam Wainwright has a 2.25 ERA after his start against Great Britain, Merrill Kelly is at 6.00 ERA after the Colombia game, and Nick Martinez was torched against Mexico and has an ERA of 10.13.

One of the lesser-known great American sayings is "Win or lose, we booze." And at least one Team USA fan is thirsty no matter how Lynn pitches in what is likely his final World Baseball Classic start.

Team USA needs the bats to wake up to survive in World Baseball Classic playoffs

Pete Alonso of Team USA bats against Team Colombia during the World Baseball Classic Pool C game.

While most figured that Team USA was an offensive juggernaut that would have to pile up the runs to win with a fairly mediocre pitching staff, the opposite has been true.

Of the USA's three World Baseball Classic victories so far, the Canada win was the only offensively-charged blowout. The 6-2 win over Great Britain was one Kyle Schwarber home run away from being a one-run nailbiter, which was the win over Colombia. Overall, it's been the United States' pitching staff that has kept the team in the tournament.