Former Giants Reliever Will Star for Team USA At the 2026 World Baseball Classic

MLB
Written By Arin Lau

Team USA’s bullpen will be getting a boost for the latter rounds of the 2026 World Baseball Classic. On March 12th, it was announced that Tyler Rogers of the Toronto Blue Jays would join Team USA. Rogers, along with two other relievers, Will Vest of the Detroit Tigers and Tim Hill of the New York Yankees, will be in Houston for Team USA’s quarterfinal game against Canada on March 13th. They will replace pitchers who appeared in pool play, including two-time AL Cy Young Award Winner Tarik Skubal, Michael Wacha of the Kansas City Royals, and Ryan Yarbrough of the Yankees. 

Rogers debuted with the San Francisco Giants in 2019 as a 28-year-old. In his time with the Giants, he became a fan favorite and built his reputation as one of the most durable and reliable bullpen arms in the league. Midway through the 2025 season, the Giants traded the now 35-year-old relief pitcher to the New York Mets. Despite turning a new page in his career, he still posted some of the best numbers of his career. The now 35-year-old righty appeared in an MLB-high 81 games, pitched over 77 innings, and kept a sparkling 1.98 earned run average as a member of both the Giants and the Mets. 

The Toronto Blue Jays will make a full push toward winning the World Series this season after a flurry of offseason moves. Rogers became a free agent for the first time and joined Toronto by signing a three-year deal. The former Giant will be a key piece in their bullpen for the 2026 season. Even though challenges of a new season and team may arise, Rogers can be counted on to bring his late-inning experience and constant presence. 

For his time with Team USA, the 35-year-old reliever will join fellow Blue Jays teammate Ernie Clement on the star-studded roster. Should the opportunity present itself, Rogers may pitch the late innings and have the chance to send Team USA even further into the tournament. Furthermore, if the stars align and both Team USA and Japan reach the final, the 35-year-old may have to face another Blue Jays teammate, Kazuma Okamoto. However, there is still plenty of baseball to be played and much to be decided before then. So, hold tight, baseball fans!

Arin Lau

Arin Lau is a Bay Area native who loves the San Francisco Giants and recently graduated from the University of California, Santa Barbara (UCSB) with a major in communication. In her time at UCSB, she contributed to the Daily Nexus, the independently run student newspaper on campus. She is also a proud alumna of the University of Hong Kong (HKU). As a result of her experience there, she likes to learn about the global growth and development of baseball and softball.

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