Bryan Armetta shares his preview, prediction and pick for today’s WBC contest between the United States and Great Britain.
It was a phenomenal start to the 2026 World Baseball Classic for the United States. The Stars and Stripes clobbered Brazil en route to a 15-5 victory. Now, they’ll attempt to keep the good times rolling in Houston against Great Britain. Can Jazz Chisholm and company earn a massive upset on Saturday?
The Americans enter tonight as 9.5-run favorites (-105) over Great Britain. The total is set at 14.5 runs, with first pitch scheduled for 8:00 p.m. ET. Let’s take a closer look at the odds and lines for both sides this evening on the DraftKings Sportsbook.
United States vs. Great Britain prediction, preview
Although the US put up a crooked number, Friday’s affair wasn’t a total walk in the park. The score was 9-5 entering the top of the ninth, prior to a seven-run onslaught. Only one American managed to go deep, and it was the most obvious. Aaron Judge got the scoring started in the first inning, clobbering a two-run homer to left-center field. The Yankees captain is arguably the best hitter on Earth, having won his third career American League MVP in 2025. However, he’s joined by a slew of superstar hitters. Fellow mashers Bobby Witt Jr. (130 wRC+), Bryce Harper (131 wRC+), Kyle Schwarber (152 wRC+) and Cal Raleigh (161 wRC+) are just a few names worth watching.
Somehow, hitting might not be the United States’ biggest strength. On the mound, two-time Cy Young winner Tarik Skubal is set to make his World Baseball Classic debut. Detroit’s ace has been nothing short of dominant over the past two seasons. During that time, he’s posted a 2.30 ERA, 0.91 WHIP and 10.9 K/9 rate. Even if it’s only for a few innings, having the left-hander on the mound will be quite the boost. USA manager Mark DeRosa went to his bullpen early on Friday, pulling starter Logan Webb after four frames. However, several elite relievers such as David Bednar, Garrett Whitlock and Griffin Jax went unused.
Keeping this one close, let alone earning a win, will be an uphill climb for Great Britain. If the improbable is going to happen, it’ll likely require a stellar showing from Jazz Chisholm. The Yankees second baseman was terrific in 2025, slashing .242/.332/.481 with 31 home runs and 31 steals. However, he went 0-for-5 during his first-ever WBC appearance on Friday. Granted, the Brits still managed to keep it close with Mexico. It was a 1-1 game entering the eighth inning before Jonathan Aranda hammered a three-run homer to break things open.
Great Britain’s lineup, while thin, does have some other talented pieces. Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton hit .296 with nine steals in a part-time role last season. Nationals catcher Harry Ford, MLB.com’s 71st-ranked prospect, tied things up with a solo shot yesterday afternoon. Unfortunately, three bats aren’t enough to elevate an otherwise unproven group of hitters.
With that being said, pitching is likely to be the biggest British weakness in this tournament. To be fair, these arms did an admirable job keeping Mexico in check on Friday before a late-inning collapse. Still, until proven otherwise, that performance feels like an outlier. Toeing the slab tonight will be Tyler Viza. The 31-year-old, although lacking in major league experience, has spent several seasons with different organizations. Most recently in 2025, he was pitching in the Mexican League. Throughout his 13-year professional career, the righty has notched a 4.40 ERA
United States vs. Great Britain pick, best bet
As previously mentioned, a monster game from Chisholm is a near-requirement for Great Britain tonight. Unfortunately, the All-Star is 0-for-3 in his career vs. Skubal. That doesn’t leave much hope for the rest of these British hitters. On the flip side, Viza doesn’t inspire much confidence against a lineup that just racked up 15 runs. Expect the United States to pull away late for another impressive win.