Brice Turang's WBC Performance Serves As Warning to Brewers' Foes

Even in eventual defeat, Turang was stellar

Mar 17, 2026; Miami, FL, United States; United States second baseman Brice Turang (13) in the third inning against Venezuela during the 2026 World Baseball Classic Championship game at loanDepot Park. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images | Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

It never feels good to lose, and a lot of Milwaukee Brewers fans were likely hoping Brice Turang and Team USA could come out of Tuesday night holding the World Baseball Classic trophy.

It wasn't meant to be, as Team Venezuela held the Americans' bats largely in check and eked out a 3-2 win, taking home their national team's first WBC title. And Turang, who went 1-for-3 with an eighth-inning strikeout, didn't exceed or fail expectations for the title game in a vacuum.

But Turang's tournament was excellent on the whole, punctuated by his Tuesday selection to the all-tournament team. And though there may be some disappointment among those who were cheering for Turang this month, there also has to be serious excitement about the coming season.

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Turang keeps evolving ahead of age-26 season

Mar 3, 2026; Scottsdale, AZ, USA; Team USA second baseman Brice Turang against the San Francisco Giants during a spring training game at Scottsdale Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images | Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images

In six tournament games, Turang went 8-for-22 (.364 AVG) with four doubles and a .937 OPS. He left no doubt about his status as the team's starting second baseman, earning the nod to start the championship while the likes of Gunnar Henderson and Ernie Clement were left on the bench.

Team USA fans could be forgiven for not noticing all of Turang's heroics, especially as his most impactful hit came in the tournament opener against an overmatched Team Brazil. But that's been Turang's hallmark, and is sort of the ethos of the Brewers as a whole -- contributing to wins without hogging the spotlight.

Turang also had a hugely impactful RBI single that gave the Americans a 4-0 lead in a quarterfinal game they wound up winning 4-3 over Team Canada. And in the semifinal, he made a sweet diving stop on a Juan Soto ground ball that kept the game's first hit off the scoreboard.

Turang never became the story of the tournament, but he showed all of baseball the danger that comes with potentially overlooking him -- or the Brewers as a whole. The start of the season can't come soon enough for this young and talented Milwaukee team.