Team USA put together a comically stacked roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Despite a scare in pool play against Italy, the Stars and Stripes managed to dismantle a dominant Dominican Republic team in the semifinals to advance to the championship round. However, a difficult loss to Venezuela in the WBC Final creates questions about this roster, along with manager Mark DeRosa.

With the next WBC on the docket three years from now, in 2029, let’s take a look at which U.S.A. stars probably won’t be running it back.

Matthew Boyd, LHP

Let’s start with the obvious: Matthew Boyd will be 38 years old when the next WBC comes around. He didn’t exactly thrive in limited exposure this time around, allowing three runs — including two Jarren Duran homers — in 2.2 innings against Mexico.

Boyd returned to Chicago after pool play to claim the Cubs’ Opening Day start. That’s not to say his heart was not in it, as Boyd waxed poetic to the Chicago Sun-Times about just how meaningful the experience was to him. But he clearly was not critical to the United States’ game plan down the stretch and there are plenty of bright, up-and-coming stars on the mound itching to claim their spot next time around.

A first-time All-Star in 2025, Boyd should not be defined by a single rough outing against a talented Mexico lineup. He pitched 179.2 innings to a 3.21 ERA for the Cubs last season and more than earned his spot in an otherwise rigthy-dominant rotation. Just expect this to be a one-and-done experience for the vet.

Byron Buxton, OF

Byron Buxton went hitless in the lead-up to Tuesday’s WBC final. A two-time All-Star and former Gold Glove winner in centerfield, there’s no denying Buxton’s bonafides. He’s one of the most talented outfielders in the sport — a genuine five-tool star who notched a career-high 35 home runs in 2025 to go along with 24 stolen bases. And yet, he’s 32 years old, which means he will be exiting his prime (or exited, past tense) when the next WBC rolls around.

It’s telling that Pete Crow-Armstong dominated the centerfield reps in this tournament. He’s almost a full decade younger, coming off a 30-30 season in which his greatest highlights typically involved flashing the leather. PCA is part of the next generation of American-born stars. He is not half as reliable as Buxton at this stage, but the talent is off the charts. Once PCA refines his approach and maximizes his tools, it’s hard to imagine he won’t be written in Sharpie as Team USA’s starting centerfielder next time around.

Buxton needs to get out of Minnesota and join a contender. That’s the best way to enjoy the twilight of his incredible prime. A return to the WBC stage is not impossible, but the baton is typically passed once stars reach a certain point in their career. Buxton is no exception.

Alex Bregman, 3B

Trea Turner was a hero for Team USA in the 2023 WBC and he did not return for 2026. The revolving doors spin particularly fast in the middle infield, where Gunnar Henderson already vastly outperformed Alex Bregman in this very tournament, despite somehow not surpassing him on Mark DeRosa’s depth chart.

With Bobby Witt Jr. and Gunnar Henderson as strong bets to return in 2029, and with other up-and-coming stars like Konnor Griffin and Kevin McGonigle both worthy candidates to punch their own ticket to the WBC sooner than later, it’s hard to imagine Bregman returning as a 34-year-old. All signs point to imminent decline. That’s not to say he won’t be a productive player for years to come, but the absolute peak of Bregman’s production is probably in the past.

Bregman has excellent leadership qualities and the U.S. could, in theory, decide to keep him around for his voice more than his impact on the field, not dissimilar to Paul Goldschmidt’s arrangement this season (we don’t even need to mention that he won’t be back). But it’s far more likely that Bregman turns his focus entirely to the Cubs over the next five years as he attempts to live up to a $175 million contract.

Kyle Schwarber, DH

Kyle Schwarber will turn 36 during the next World Baseball Classic. While he is probably still an extremely productive hitter by then, he’s another star who is likely to age out. Schwarber inhibits lineup flexibility as someone who straight-up cannot play defense and odds are he won’t reach the 56-home run, 132-RBI heights of last year’s second-place MVP campaign again, if history tells us anything.

Schwarber continues to get better. His bat flies through the zone; his mechanics feature zero wasted movement. He’s curtailing strikeouts enough to really maximize the impact of his light-tower power. So again, I wouldn’t expect his production to fall off a cliff. But when so many talented young hitters are available, Team USA should keep its options open and look to better target specific matchups, something DeRosa and his crew didn’t do a very good job of this time around.

Versatility and lineup flexibility are supremely valuable in a tournament where losses are often catastrophic. It’s single elimination once pool play ends, and for all Schwarber’s talent — he was clearly the right choice this time around — he probably does not give the U.S. the best chance to win three years from now. We can project forward with honesty.

Bryce Harper, 1B

Bryce Harper really embraced the opportunity to compete with Team USA in this year’s tournament. In many ways, he is the face of American baseball for a generation — a two-time MVP and eight-time All-Star who has been on magazine covers since high school. Harper has now spent half his career in the literal birthplace of America. The legacy is undeniable. It just feels right for him to be competing with the U.S. right now.

There is, however, a simple truth we must acknowledge: Harper is past his prime. When Dave Dombrowski questioned whether or not Harper could be “elite” again, it was a silly and avoidable mistake. It was also the truth, whether Harper is ready to admit it or not. His production last season fell well short of his own lofty standards. Some of that was injury-related, but Harper had been a weak link in the U.S. lineup all tournament – until Tuesday night, when he hit a game-tying home run in the bottom of the eighth inning.

BRYCE HARPER GAME-TYING HOMER

109.4 MPH, 432 feetpic.twitter.com/O41NcInjgp

— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) March 18, 2026

But one home run won’t stop father time. Harper, like his Phillies teammate Schwarber, will be 36 when the next WBC takes place. First base is not a position with an endless reserve of superstar talent, but there are dudes like Jac Caglianone (Team Italy this year, but American-born), Bryce Eldridge and most of all Nick Kurtz who could all claim the throne in the years ahead. Harper has a legacy claim, but if Team USA wants to compete at the highest level, he’s probably not the best option in 2029.

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