Griffin Jax, Paul Skenes Invited Special Guests to Team USA Game
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Tampa Bay Rays’ reliever Griffin Jax, along with Pittsburgh Pirates starting pitcher and Team USA teammate Paul Skenes, coordinated to bring the Air Force baseball team to Houston, Texas, to attend Team USA’s game against Mexico, a game in which Team USA won 5-3.
Jax attended the United States Air Force Academy from 2014-2016, becoming the first Air Force graduate to play in the Major Leagues. The Rays’ right-hander also serves as a Captain in the U.S. Air Force Reserve, and has two younger brothers who are currently serving in the Air Force.
Skenes also attended the Air Force Academy, spending his first two seasons of collegiate baseball at Air Force in 2021 and 2022, before transferring to LSU.
Both Jax and Skenes took part in the thoughtful gesture of inviting the current Air Force baseball team to their game at Daikin Park. The Falcons just so happened to be in Texas to play Baylor University, so the pair coordinated tickets to make the visit possible.
Griffin Jax, Paul Skenes dominate in front of Air Force baseball team
In addition to the classy gesture that honored their roots, both Jax and Skenes played crucial roles in the victory.
Skenes made his World Baseball Classic debut, getting the start for Team USA. He tossed four dominant shutout innings, allowing just one hit while recording seven strikeouts.
Jax arguably threw the biggest pitch of the night. He entered the game with one runner on and one out in the eighth inning after Matthew Boyd had just yielded Jarren Duran’s second home run of the night.
Jax came on with the tying run at the plate and got the job done, inducing an inning-ending double play off the bat of Alejandro Kirk to escape the jam.
Paul Skenes and Griffin Jax, both Air Force graduates, paid for the entire Air Force baseball team to attend USA’s game tonight pic.twitter.com/fuTzC2yekq
— Baseball Quotes (@BaseballQuotes1) March 10, 2026
Not only did Jax’s clutch performance preserve the two-run lead for Team USA, but it also preserved the win for Skenes, who earned the victory once Garrett Whitlock locked down the save in the ninth inning.
Right after Jax escaped the jam to keep Team USA’s lead intact, FOX cameras showed the current Air Force baseball squad celebrating in the stands.
This marked the first time Team USA has defeated Mexico in the World Baseball Classic since 2006, as the United States had gone 0-3 in its previous three matchups against Mexico.
Both Jax and Skenes made an impact for Team USA, contributing to the victory on the global stage of the World Baseball Classic while doing so in front of the Air Force baseball team; a moment that connected their military roots with a big win as the United States improved to 3-0 in Pool B play.
