Pittsburgh Pirates ace Paul Skenes is aiming for a dominant showing from Team USA in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). Inspired by the U.S.'s performance in the Winter Olympics, Skenes expressed his expectations.
"We’ve got to assert our dominance over everyone else. That’s what we do," Skenes stated, referencing the Americans' success in earning a record 12 gold medals in the Milan Cortina Games. He emphasized the importance of continuing that winning trend.
Skenes, who is expected to pitch multiple times for Team USA, cited patriotic reasons for his participation. He noted that representing the country and playing alongside stars like Aaron Judge adds to his motivation.
Skenes is coming off an NL Cy Young Award-winning 2025 season, where he posted a 1.97 ERA with 216 strikeouts for the Pirates.