Mark DeRosa reveals plan on USA future after being hammered for ‘haunting’ Mason Miller decision

Team USA were beaten by Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic championship game.

3-2 was the final score from loanDepot Park in what was a tightly contested game between two dominant baseball nations.

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With Venezuela leading entering the eighth inning, the USA’s hopes were lifted by Bryce Harper, who smashed a two-run home run to tie the game.

With the injection of hope, manager Mark DeRosa turned to Garrett Whitlock to pitch the ninth, a decision that proved extremely costly.

Whitlock would walk the leadoff hitter, before promptly surrendering the go-ahead double to Eugenio Suarez, giving the Venezuelan’s the lead.

The USA were then shut down in the bottom of the ninth by Daniel Palencia, resulting in their second-straight runners-up position in the WBC under DeRosa’ watch.

As fans watched the awkward ceremony, in which many USA players removed their medals before reaching the dugout, one question was on fans’ minds.

Why didn’t DeRosa, who has been criticized for multiple errors throughout the tournament, throw the ball to Mason Miller instead of Whitlock.

“Honoring the [San Diego] Padres,” DeRosa told reporters after the game, via Bob Nightengale on X.

“Had we taken the lead, he was coming in, but I wasn’t going to bring him into a tie game.”

Miller is widely regarded as one of the best relief pitchers in the game, evidenced by the fact hitters are 0-50 with 39 strikeouts against him since September 8, 2025.

Padres manager Craig Stammen had given free reign to USA staff, but the decision not to use him has not sat well with fans.

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“And that’s why we lost. It’s more important to ‘honor the Padres’ than to win the WBC,” one fan posted.

“DeRosa not using Miller in a WBC final because of the Padres is the kind of decision that makes sense on paper, but will haunt him for the rest of his life,” a second added.

“The game was still tied, having a lead should not have been a factor in this. Honoring the Padres is outrageous considering their postseason success recently,” a third commented.

“Until USA baseball and the players take this seriously, we will continue to be an embarrassment. Culture needs to change,” a fourth said.

“What a f****** idiot. He screwed us the whole tournament,” a fifth concluded.

DeRosa takes stance on USA future after finale loss

Throughout the tournament, the USA were described as ‘the greatest lineup ever constructed’, although they never lived up to their billing.

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DeRosa has been at the forefront of the criticism throughout the event, particularly after his errant miscalculation before they were beaten by Italy.

After the USA finished as runner’s up for the second-straight year, DeRosa was asked whether he would return for the next WBC.

“It would be 100 percent yes to do it again,” DeRosa told reporters after the game, via Evin Drellich on X.

“I would love to get over the finish line. … Why? If you say how hurting the guys are in the locker room now, you’d know why.”

DeRosa was the manager in the previous Classic as well, leading them to a 3-2 loss to Shohei Ohtani’s Japan three years earlier.

USA have appeared in three-straight finals, winning just one in 2017. They will have now to wait another three years to snap their WBC losing streak.

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