When Shohei Ohtani struck out Mike Trout, Team USA’s hopes of gold vanished under the lights of LoanDepot Park. They left the 2023 World Baseball Classic as runners-up, with dreams unfulfilled and debts still to settle. But as the 2026 WBC approaches, redemption is already in motion. Kansas City Royals’ shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. is officially suiting up for Team USA again—and with unwavering support behind him, the chase for gold feels more real than ever.
Last time Witt represented Team USA, he was just 22 years old. He was a bench player and got to pinch run in the finals. But as they settled for second place, his gold dreams also hit pause. But his stellar 2024 season has shown that he’s not the same rookie anymore. At 25, he has proven to be a generational shortstop for the Royals. And now, as he joins as the third player alongside the Yankees’ Aaron Judge and Pittsburgh Pirates’ Paul Skenes, the battle odds look even more interesting. And no one is prouder than his wife, Maggie.
After the news broke out, she took to Instagram to share her joy. “Going for GOLD!!” Maggie commented on the announcement post shared by the USA Baseball team. She joined fans in celebrating the news, and with those three words, full of love and pride, she made one thing clear: this time, he’s chasing the gold that slipped through their fingers. She also shared several pasts on her Instagram stories. And, this isn’t the first time she’s expressed her love for her husband so openly.
“Happy Birthday to my husband!!!” she wrote in a post shared on his birthday on June 14th. “I am so lucky to have been able to spend 8 out of your last 25 years with you, and I can’t wait to spend the next 100+ birthdays together! You’re my bestest friend and the greatest husband I could ask for. I hope you feel EXTRA special today, I love you! ” she added. This is the kind of support that helps a player achieve every goal he sets. Fueled by the unwavering support from his family, the Royals’ star is fully committed to his new mission.
Bobby Witt Jr. reacts to his return to Team USA
Manager Mark DeRosa’s team for the WBC run is slowly taking shape. The roster so far looks promising, and there’s no better option at shortstop than Witt. While he continues to lead the Royals this season, the WBC is something even bigger to look forward to. After all, what’s more meaningful than wearing your country’s jersey?
“It’s an honor, and last time we did it, we fell a little short. So I just wanted to help the team win gold and help the country win gold,” Witt told MLB.com’s Anne Rogers. “Just to get to represent the greatest country, it’s an honor to be able to do that. It goes a long way to be able to wear [USA] across your chest.”, he added. His happiness echoes through those words; he’s fully geared up for the challenge.
Remember his 2024 season? Thanks to his stellar stat sheet with 32 home runs, 109 RBIs, a .332 average, and 10.4 fWAR, he became the AL MVP runner-up. And this season, the Silver Slugger is slashing .282/.338/.484/.822 with 10 home runs and 40 RBIs through 80 games. And guess what? He’s just behind Astros’ Jeremy Peña as the second-best shortstop with a 3.8 fWAR, the sixth-best in all of MLB. With his entry to the line-up, the WBC just got more exciting for Team USA. Who knows—this time, the championship may finally come home.
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