Mariners reliever Gabe Speier to join Team USA for World Baseball Classic
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Seattle Mariners relief pitcher Gabe Speier has been selected as a member of Team USA, representing the nation at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He joins his Seattle teammate, catcher and AL MVP runner-up Cal Raleigh, as part of this elite, international squad. The event will take place from March 5 to 17, after which the players will join their respective teams to prepare for Opening Day.
In 2025, the lefty Speier had a 4-3 record, with a 2.61 ERA and 0.87 WHIP, and held opponents to a .192 average, striking out 82 batters in 62 innings pitched for the Mariners. He's considered one of the best at what he does: Since the start of 2023, left-handed batters have hit just .193 off him, so he makes for a nice addition to a team looking to bring home a championship in this global competition.
Aside from Speier and Raleigh on Team USA, a handful of Mariners players will participate in the WBC, representing their native countries. Left fielder Randy Arozarena will compete for Team Mexico, while first baseman Josh Naylor and reliever Matt Brash will play for Team Canada.
Speier is set for a big season in Seattle
There are high expectations for not only the M's as a team in 2026, but for Speier individually. The lefty specialist was seemingly the lone gunman from the port side a season ago, but he's got a very capable partner to go into battle with in 2026. When Seattle acquired fellow left-handed reliever Jose Ferrer from Washington as his backup in the bullpen, it freed Speier to be available in many more scenarios this season. That's the luxury of having two skilled southpaws who can take the ball when needed.
While the trade for Ferrer did cost the Mariners a prized prospect in catcher Harry Ford, it will do wonders for the team as a whole. Ferrer, 25, has a career record of 8-4 with a 4.36 ERA and 121 strikeouts in 142.1 innings pitched. He's a fireballer, with a fastball that has previously been clocked at 98 mph.
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That sets things up for Speier to have another excellent year, anchoring down the late inning, clutch moments for the M's. He's even poised to potentially have a career season... after he returns from the World Baseball Classic.
