Sports
U.S. loads World Baseball Classic roster with MVPs, Cy Young Award winners
Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher Paul Skenes (30) watches from the dugout in the sixth inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Thursday, Sept. 25, 2025. The Reds won, 2-1. The United States finalized its roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic on Thursday, locking in a group that features both reigning Cy Young Award winners, multiple Most Valuable Players and retired Los Angeles Dodgers icon Clayton Kershaw.
Most players already had confirmed their plans to compete in the tournament that begins March 5, but Thursday’s announcement revealed the Americans’ complete arsenal of arms and deep collection of infielders to go with just four primary outfielders.
“We constructed this roster with one goal in mind: to bring home a WBC Championship for the U.S. fans,” Team USA general manager Michael Hill said in a statement. “I would like to thank the Major League Clubs for trusting us with this incredible group of talented players.”
“Building this team was never easy, but it was done with purpose and pride,” Team USA manager Mark DeRosa added. “These players know what it means to wear USA across their chest, and we’re ready to go to work and bring the World Baseball Classic trophy back home.”
The U.S. has won only one WBC, in 2017. The Americans lost to Japan in the 2023 final — the last time the tournament was played.
New York Yankees star Aaron Judge serves as the team’s captain and will be joined in the outfield by veteran Byron Buxton and up-and-comers Corbin Carroll and Pete Crow-Armstrong.
The 37-year-old Kershaw, who retired from his legendary MLB career after the Dodgers’ World Series title, previously had said he would pitch in this WBC. It’s not clear to what extent he will be used.
The Americans don’t have to worry about starting pitching. American League Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal and National League Cy Young winner Paul Skenes will anchor the rotation.
The United States opens pool play against Brazil on March 6 in Houston before facing Mexico on March 9 and Italy on March 10. The championship game will be played March 17 in Miami. Here’s the team’s 30-man roster:
Catchers
Cal Raleigh, Seattle Mariners
Will Smith, Los Angeles Dodgers
Infielders/utility
Alex Bregman, 3B, Boston Red Sox
Ernie Clement, UTIL, Toronto Blue Jays
Paul Goldschmidt, 1B, free agent
Bryce Harper, 1B, Philadelphia Phillies
Gunnar Henderson, SS, Baltimore Orioles
Brice Turang, 2B, Milwaukee Brewers
Bobby Witt Jr., SS, Kansas City Royals
Outfielders
Byron Buxton, Minnesota Twins
Corbin Carroll, Arizona Diamondbacks
Pete Crow-Armstrong, Chicago Cubs
Aaron Judge, New York Yankees
Designated hitter
Kyle Schwarber, Philadelphia Phillies
Pitchers
David Bednar, RHP, New York Yankees
Matthew Boyd, LHP, Chicago Cubs
Garrett Cleavinger, LHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Clay Holmes, RHP, New York Mets
Griffin Jax, RHP, Tampa Bay Rays
Brad Keller, RHP, Philadelphia Phillies
Clayton Kershaw, LHP, retired
Nolan McLean, RHP, New York Mets
Mason Miller, RHP, San Diego Padres
Joe Ryan, RHP, Minnesota Twins
Paul Skenes, RHP, Pittsburgh Pirates
Tarik Skubal, LHP, Detroit Tigers
Gabe Speier, LHP, Seattle Mariners
Michael Wacha, RHP, Kansas City Royals
Logan Webb, RHP, San Francisco Giants
Garrett Whitlock, RHP, Boston Red Sox
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Celtics' Xavier Tillman traded to Hornets in buzzer-beater
Oct 24, 2025; New York, New York, USA; Boston Celtics forward Xavier Tillman (26) warms up before the game against the New York Knicks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images The Boston Celtics traded forward Xavier Tillman Sr. and cash considerations to the Charlotte Hornets on Thursday, ESPN reported, moments before the NBA trade deadline passed for good.
The Hornets acquired Tillman and $3.5 million in cash considerations, pulling Boston away from the luxury tax, similar to the deal that brought guard Tyus Jones in and out of Charlotte from Orlando on Wednesday.
Tillman had been seeing declining minutes since his championship-winning stint with the Celtics in 2024, seeing more than 15 minutes on the floor just five times. Through the 2025-26 season, Tillman averaged 2.2 points and 1.8 rebounds per game in 14 appearances.
Tillman was drafted by the Sacramento Kings in the second round of the 2020 NBA Draft, but was traded to the Memphis Grizzlies on draft day. Tillman played three full seasons in Memphis, along with one full season in Boston.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Report: Penn State's Gavin McKenna broke man's jaw
Penn State’s Gavin McKenna, center, arrives with the team for a Big Ten hockey game against Michigan State at Beaver Stadium on January 31, 2026, in State College. When highly regarded NHL prospect Gavin McKenna was charged with felony assault Wednesday, it was reportedly for breaking a man’s jaw and knocking out his tooth with a pair of punches.
According to The Athletic, which reviewed police reports and court documents, the 18-year-old Penn State freshman was involved in an altercation Saturday night shortly after leaving Doggie’s Pub — a College Avenue bar across the street from Penn State’s campus.
McKenna and his group encountered the alleged victim and his group at a nearby parking garage. After an “exchange of words,” McKenna punched the man twice in the face. The man was taken to Mount Nittany Medical Center, where a local policeman spoke to the man and his friends.
In addition to being charged with felony aggravated assault, which can lead to as much as a 20-year prison sentence and a $25,000 fine, McKenna has been cited for a misdemeanor assault charge along with summary charges of harassment and disorderly conduct.
McKenna, who hails from the Canadian town of Whitehorse, Yukon, was regarded as the No. 1 prospect in the upcoming NHL draft when he made the decision to leave the Western Hockey League’s Medicine Hat Tigers and enroll at Penn State last fall.
The 6-foot, 170-pound wing has amassed 11 goals, 21 assists and 34 penalty minutes in 24 games for the Nittany Lions, who rank as the nation’s No. 6 team per USCHO.com. McKenna paces the squad in assists and shares the team lead in points.
–Field Level Media
Sports
Sixers trade veteran G Eric Gordon to Grizzlies
Feb 5, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia 76ers guard Eric Gordon (23) controls the ball against the Miami Heat in the fourth quarter at Wells Fargo Center. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images The Philadelphia 76ers traded veteran guard Eric Gordon to the Memphis Grizzlies on Thursday for a second-round draft pick swap in 2032 and the rights to shooting guard Justinian Jessup.
The deal was designed to take Gordon’s $2,296,274 salary off Philadelphia’s books. Gordon, 37, averaged 5.5 points in six games off the bench for the Sixers this season. In 18 career NBA seasons, including seven with the Houston Rockets, Gordon has averaged 15.2 points with 2.7 assists in 931 games (665 starts).
Jessup, a 27-year-old Colorado native who played four seasons at Boise State, averages 7.6 points per game coming off the bench for Bayern Munich in the EuroLeague. He was a second-round draft pick by the Golden State Warriors in 2020 and his rights were traded to the Memphis Grizzlies in July 2025.
–Field Level Media
Report: Celtics' Xavier Tillman traded to Hornets in buzzer-beater
Report: Penn State's Gavin McKenna broke man's jaw
