Monday night's World Baseball Classic game against Canada was close to a must-win for Team USA after Sunday night's blowout loss to Mexico. The Americans answered the bell. Their high-powered offense broke out early, putting a nine-spot on the board in the first inning. From there, starter Lance Lynn and the Americans cruised to an easy 12-1 mercy-rule win (USA 12, CAN 1 in 7 innings).
The WBC mercy rule is in effect for the first round only, and games are terminated when there's a 15-run lead after five innings or a 10-run lead after seven innings. Also, the tiebreaker is based on runs allowed, so running up the score is beneficial. Every run you score against your opponent hurts their tiebreaker situation and could help you down the line.
Here are three takeaways from USA's blowout win over Canada, plus a look ahead at the rest of the first round.
Team USA needed an early lead Monday night to breathe a little and feel good about things. That loss to Mexico on Sunday was rough. Canada's starter, 19-year-old lefty Mitch Bratt, is a well-regarded prospect with the Rangers, but he was in over his head against that USA lineup. Bratt retired only one of the seven batters he faced, and the bullpen was no better.
Here is a recap of the carnage: Mookie Betts single, Mike Trout walk, Paul Goldschmidt walk, Nolan Arenado two-run double, Kyle Tucker sac fly, Tim Anderson walk, J.T. Realmuto one-run single. Bratt was mercifully pulled at that point, but USA piled on with a Trea Turner ground ball fielder's choice, a Cedric Mullins triple, and a Mike Trout three-run homer. USA led 9-0 after one inning.
Could you imagine facing that USA lineup at age 19? No way. Bratt threw only nine of his 25 pitches for strikes. Canada fed him to the wolves, and the wolves ate well. It should be noted MLB.com ranks Bratt the No. 17 prospect in the Rangers' system, calling him "cerebral and extremely advanced for his age." There are better days ahead, young man. This was as tough as assignments get.
Tim Anderson, the White Sox's All-Star shortstop, was USA's best player in the blowout loss to Mexico on Sunday. He went 2 for 4 with a double and drove in three runs. Naturally, that earned Anderson another start Monday, only this time, he played second base in deference to Trea Turner. It was the first time Anderson played second base in the majors or minors.
"He's been a spark in this locker room," USA manager Mark DeRosa said during an in-game interview with FS1. "... I couldn't put him at short but I needed his bat and his presence in this lineup."
If he was uncomfortable on the other side of the bag, it did not show. Anderson handled all defensive chances without (major) issues and went 3 for 4 with a triple and a walk at the plate. His second-inning triple stretched USA's lead to 10-1. Realmuto brought Anderson home with a sacrifice fly, and Turner followed with a solo home run. It was 12-1 USA after two innings.
Given how well he's performed at the plate -- Anderson is 5 for 8 with a double and a triple in two games -- and how comfortable he looked at second base, my money's on Anderson being in the lineup for Wednesday's pivotal game with Colombia (sorry, Jeff McNeil). Anderson's been a standout performer on a star-studded team three games into the WBC.
Sunday's loss to Mexico was messy in more ways than one. USA ran through eight pitchers in nine innings, including relatively extended outings for Brady Singer and Daniel Bard. Because some MLB teams have placed restrictions on their pitchers (i.e. no back-to-back days), USA manager Mark DeRosa was in a bit of a pitching bind Tuesday.
Fortunately, the offense put the game to bed early, and veteran righty Lance Lynn pitched deep into the game. He limited Canada to a solo homer in five innings before reaching the WBC pitch limit (65 pitches in the first round). Lynn retired 15 of 17 batters faced and threw 42 strikes among his 65 pitches, or 65%. He pounded the zone with the big lead and got outs efficiently.
USA piggybacked starting pitchers against Great Britain (Adam Wainwright and Kyle Freeland) and Mexico (Nick Martinez and Singer), and they did it again against Canada. Miles Mikolas replaced Lynn and retired six of the nine batters he faced before the game was mercy ruled. Mikolas threw 33 pitches. The two veteran righties gave the bullpen a much-needed rest.
Team USA is 2-1 in pool play and controls its own destiny thanks to Great Britain's surprising win over Colombia on Tuesday afternoon. USA will advance to the second round with a win over Colombia on Wednesday. Nice and simple. The Americans have an off day Tuesday, then D-Backs righty Merrill Kelly will start against Colombia on Wednesday. Canada, meanwhile, is now 1-1, and they will face Colombia on Tuesday and Mexico on Wednesday. They have never advanced out of pool play.
Below are our live updates and analysis during USA's win over Canada.
A mercy rule seven-inning win for the Americans. The game was over in the first inning. Mike Trout hit a three-run dinger and Lance Lynn shoved for five innings before hitting the WBC pitch limit. A game with Colombia awaits Wednesday. A win in that game and USA advances to the quarterfinals.
USA is three outs away from a mercy rule win. It's 12-1. A win tonight and a win over Colombia on Wednesday sends USA to the second round (Tuesday is an off-day).
Canada put runners at second and third with two outs, but Mikolas escaped. Pushing two runs across there would have moved the game out of mercy rule range. As long as USA gets more three outs before giving up more than one run, this game is over.
Nolan Arenado gave one a ride to center field, but alas, it was an out. That could've been a three-run shot and a 15-1 lead, putting USA one run away from an immediate mercy rule. As long as they get six more outs without allowing more than one run, the mercy rule will be invoked in the seventh. Miles Mikolas is coming in to pitch now.
He finished at 65 pitches, the WBC pitch limit in the first round. Lynn retired 15 of 17 batters and was very efficient. USA used eight relievers in nine innings last night and needed some length out Lynn, and he provided it. The big lead helped, obviously, but there's an art to pitching with a big lead. You can't simply pour fastballs over the place. It remains 12-1 USA in the fifth. Another four runs would trigger the mercy rule before the seventh inning.
That means there will be a bottom of the fifth inning and USA could walk-off with the mercy rule at any point moving forward. After all that early carnage, this one has settled into a brisk pace. A lot of swings early in the count and few baserunners the last few innings. Both teams know what to do with the score this lopsided. They want to get this game over too.
Again, the mercy rule is a 15-run lead after five innings and a 10-run lead after seven innings. If USA scores four runs in the bottom of the fourth, this game could be over within three half-innings. Lance Lynn is cruising with the huge early lead. The WBC pitch limit is 65 pitches in the first round and USA could use as much length from him as possible after using eight pitchers last night.
It is now 12-1. Trea Turner homered. Again, the mercy rule is a 15-run lead after five innings or a 10-run lead after seven innings.
It's 11-1 USA in the second inning. Tim Anderson found the right-center field gap, and J.T. Realmuto brought him home with a sacrifice fly. Anderson's had two really good days. Also, he's playing second base tonight. First time in his career at any level, majors or minors. After these last two days, I'm guessing Anderson will be a mainstay at second base moving forward.
Canada gets one back on a Jared Young solo homer. Lance Lynn fed him fastballs with a big lead and Young pounced on one.
This one got out of hand early. Mike Trout just clobbered a three-run home run and it is 9-0 USA with two outs in the bottom of the first. As a reminder, the mercy rule is a 15-run lead after five innings and a 10-run lead after seven innings. That certainly might come into play tonight. This has to feel good for that USA dugout after that blowout less last night.
Poor kid was in over his head. Bratt -- again, he is 19 years old -- faced seven batters and retired one. It's 4-0 USA with runners on the corners and one out in the first inning. Canada is going to the bullpen.
Things are not going well for young Mr. Bratt. Single, walk, walk loads the bases with no outs, then Nolan Arenado pulls a two-run double to left field. Kyle Tucker followed with a sacrifice fly. Understandable that the 19-year-old Bratt would be a bit nervous and overmatched against this lineup. USA needed this early lead just to breathe a little after last night's blowout loss.
Three up, three down with two strikeouts. That an improvement over USA's first two games -- the Americans gave up a home run in the first inning against Great Britain and Mexico. 19-year-old Mitch Bratt is on the bump for Canada, and he surrenders a leadoff single to Mookie Betts. Yes, Bratt is 19 years old.
Lance Lynn's first pitch is a fastball down for a ball. USA vs. Canada is underway.
