In the 2026 World Baseball Classic, Great Britain's Nate Eaton stunned Team USA by homering on the first pitch from Tarik Skubal, giving the Brits an early 1-0 lead at Daikin Park in Houston. The United States responded with a rally, taking an 8-1 advantage through six innings behind home runs and key hits from Kyle Schwarber and Gunnar Henderson. The game marked Skubal's only appearance for the Americans before returning to Detroit Tigers spring training.
The matchup between Team USA and Great Britain took place on March 7, 2026, at 8 p.m. ET in Houston's Daikin Park, drawing a pro-U.S. crowd. Tarik Skubal, the Detroit Tigers' back-to-back American League Cy Young winner, started for the Americans, who entered with a 15-5 victory over Brazil the previous day. Great Britain, coming off an 8-2 loss to Mexico, countered with right-hander Tyler Viza.
Eaton, a 29-year-old center fielder with MLB experience from the Royals and Red Sox, led off the top of the first. His drive off Skubal's 94.8 mph four-seam fastball was initially called a double but overturned to a solo home run after review, traveling 389 feet with an exit velocity of 101.7 mph and a 27-degree launch angle. This marked the second consecutive leadoff homer allowed by Team USA in the tournament, following Brazil's Lucas Ramirez off Logan Webb.
Eaton had expressed confidence beforehand: "Throughout my career I've faced other ones. So -- not taking anything from him, he's obviously great -- but I go about my routine and do my game planning the way I do."
Skubal settled in quickly, retiring the next nine batters over two innings with five strikeouts on just 41 pitches total in three frames. He was relieved by Clay Holmes, who also retired the side in the fourth. For Great Britain, outfielder Trayce Thompson, brother of NBA star Klay Thompson, made a leaping catch at the wall to rob Will Smith in the second inning.
Reliever Najer Victor impressed in the fourth, striking out Aaron Judge and Bryce Harper while escaping a bases-loaded jam by fanning Gunnar Henderson.
Team USA broke through in the fifth when Ernie Clement scored on a wild pitch by Andre Scrubb after reaching on an error, tying the game at 1-1. Kyle Schwarber then homered on a cutter, putting the Americans ahead 3-1. Henderson added a two-run double with the bases loaded, extending the lead to 5-1.
In the bottom of the sixth, the U.S. loaded the bases and scored three more runs, leading 8-1. Great Britain had not scored since Eaton's homer. Skubal reflected on the tournament's atmosphere: "When you look around at every pool, you look at all the different games going on around the world, those environments are always going to be pretty special. And that's what makes the game of baseball so beautiful."
The game highlighted the international appeal of the WBC, with Team USA favored but facing resilient opposition from Great Britain.
