Alex Bregman is absent from the Team USA lineup in the semifinal against the Dominican Republic, a game that will decide who advances to the final of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. National team manager Mark DeRosa made it clear the decision to remove Bregman from the lineup was based on the numbers.
DeRosa addressed the move when asked about replacing Bregman. “Playing the numbers, playing the hot hand. It’s game on.” It is still unclear if Bregman could return for the final if his replacement struggles in the semifinal, of course only if Team USA wins the game against the Dominicans.
If he had played against the Dominican Republic, Bregman would have entered the game with a rough .182 batting average. Still, that number is not as low as Bryce Harper’s. Harper remained in the lineup despite carrying a poor .150 average and a .377 OPS so far in the WBC.
Who will replace Bregman in the lineup?
The player stepping in for Bregman is Gunnar Henderson of the Baltimore Orioles. He did not play in the quarterfinal against Canada, but he did appear earlier against Italy. In that game he had five at-bats, struck out three times, but still produced one run, one hit and one RBI.
The numbers DeRosa is referring to are not Henderson’s .500 average in the tournament. The key is his history against Luis Severino, who will start for the Dominican Republic in the semifinal. Henderson has seven hits, one home run and four RBIs in nine at-bats against Severino, which likely played a major role in the decision.
Bregman will remain available on the bench if DeRosa needs him later in the game. Cal Raleigh was also replaced for the matchup against the Dominicans. Raleigh has struggled throughout the World Baseball Classic, but his absence from the lineup is also tied to the team’s catcher rotation.