Byron Buxton Re-Enters Team USA's Starting Lineup for WBC Title Game

Twins star Byron Buxton may not have had the World Baseball Classic he was hoping for thus far, but he's got a chance to change that and celebrate a championship on Tuesday night in Miami.

Buxton is in the Team USA lineup for the title game against Venezuela (7:00 p.m. CT on FOX), playing center field and batting ninth against left-hander Eduardo Rodriguez. That feels like a good call from manager Mark DeRosa, considering Buxton had an OPS north of 1.000 in 123 plate appearances against left-handed pitching last season.

Tonight's starting lineup in the World Baseball Classic Championship Game against Venezuela pic.twitter.com/JApvM7KDL4
— USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 17, 2026

The Cubs' Pete Crow-Armstrong has emerged as the United States' preferred center fielder during the tournament. PCA, who was an All-Star and Gold Glover last year, has hit two home runs and a double in five games of WBC action. Nevertheless, his career MLB OPS against lefties is just .591, compared to .819 for Buxton. And while Crow-Armstrong might be the best defensive outfielder in the world today, Buxton can still play center field at a pretty elite level.

Buxton has appeared in four of Team USA's six WBC games so far, starting two of them. In eight plate appearances, he's gone 0 for 6 with a walk, a hit by pitch, a run, an RBI, and a stolen base. He was hit by a pitch on the forearm in the pool play opener on March 6 and was removed from the contest after scoring a run. But that was mostly precautionary, and Buxton returned to the starting lineup after missing one game.

Byron Buxton | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

With Crow-Armstrong homering twice in the final game of pool play, the Cubs star earned the start in center field against a right-handed pitcher in both the quarterfinals against Canada and the semifinals against the Dominican Republic. Buxton entered both games in the late innings as a defensive replacement, somewhat controversially shifting PCA to left field.

Buxton did have two hits in a USA jersey, including a home run, in an exhibition game against the Rockies back on March 4. With that said, it would be cool if he's able to come through in a game that counts on Tuesday night. Of course, what will matter most to Buxton is getting a victory.

In another universe, this could've been a Joe Ryan vs. Pablo Lopez pitching matchup in front of the whole baseball world. But while Ryan was once a candidate to pitch in this game, it'll be the Mets' Nolan McLean getting the nod for the USA instead. Lopez suffered a season-ending UCL injury at the very start of Twins spring training.

There's some Twins representation on the Venezuela side with pitching coach Johan Santana, the franchise legend who spent time in Minnesota's camp earlier this spring. Former Twins All-Star Luis Arraez, who was traded for Lopez a few years ago, has been one of Venezuela's stars in the tournament. He's hitting third and playing first base on Tuesday night.