Why didn't the U.S. team use closer Mason Miller in a tied ninth inning? It turns out there was an agreement with his MLB club.

In the World Baseball Classic championship game, the U.S. team lost 2-3 to Venezuela, finishing as runner-up for the second straight time. A pitching decision in the top of the ninth inning drew discussion: with the score tied, the U.S. did not bring in closer Mason Miller, opting for Garrett Whitlock, who gave up the decisive run to Venezuela. After the game, manager Mark DeRosa explained the reasoning.

The U.S. offense struggled through the first eight innings, managing only two hits. In the bottom of the eighth, Bryce Harper blasted a tying two-run homer, reigniting hopes of victory. However, in the top of the ninth, Whitlock immediately walked Luis Arraez and then yielded the winning double to Eugenio Suárez. That crucial run led to the U.S. team's 2-3 defeat.

After the game, manager DeRosa clarified that the decision respected Miller's MLB team, the San Diego Padres. "If we had been leading, I would have used him, but in a tie situation, we never planned to bring him in." He further explained that using Whitlock in a tied game was also a pre-arranged plan with the Boston Red Sox: "If the game was tied, we would use him; if we were ahead, it would be Miller's time."