In the meantime, as the sixth edition of the WBC continues, Team USA defeated Team Canada 5–3 to secure a spot in the tournament’s semifinals. The victory came without Clay Holmes on the field, as he had previously left the roster to focus entirely on spring training with the New York Mets.

In recent remarks to the press via SNY, the pitcher revealed how difficult it was to make the decision, though he promised the Mets he will do everything possible to prepare in the best way and help the team secure as many wins as possible.

“It was tough, it was a tough decision,” Holmes started. “Obviously, it’s an honor to get to play for [Team] USA. You feel that there, you feel the honor and what it means to the people there. It’s always tough leaving.

“It’s a challenge, though. You’re still having to get ready for a season. I only threw the 38 pitches in the first game. I had to finish up in the bullpen, and we felt like we couldn’t really afford to do that again.“

He finally concluded: “I think that would put be back to start the season, and just something I wasn’t comfortable doing. I mean it was a tough decision I had to make, but I think it was the right one. As hard as it is, I mean, there may not be a right choice, but I feel like that’s what I had to do. I’m looking forward to getting off to a good start this season and helping us win.“

Holmes’ performance with Team USA

Before departing to rejoin the New York Mets, Clay Holmes delivered a dominant performance in his lone outing for Team USA during the 2026 World Baseball Classic.

On March 7 against Great Britain, the right-hander tossed 3.0 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit and no walks while racking up 6 strikeouts. Despite his “flawless” stint, Holmes left the roster on March 12 to ensure he could maintain a consistent starter’s workload in Spring Training.

Semifinals become a reality

Team USA punched their ticket to the 2026 World Baseball Classic semifinals with a hard-fought 5-3 victory over Canada on Friday night at Daikin Park. The standout performer was starting pitcher Logan Webb, who dominated through 4.2 scoreless innings, allowing only one hit and striking out five to set the tone.

Offensively, Pete Crow-Armstrong proved vital, going 2-for-4 with a crucial RBI single during a three-run sixth inning that ultimately held off a late Canadian rally. With this win, the United States moves on to a highly anticipated semifinal matchup against the Dominican Republic this Sunday in Miami.