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Kyle Schwarber #12 of Team USA bats as we look at our top USA vs. Mexico picks
Kyle Schwarber #12 of Team USA bats against Team Great Britain during the eighth inning of the World Baseball Classic Pool C game at Chase Field on March 11, 2023 in Phoenix, Arizona. Team USA defeated Team Great Britain 6-2. Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images via AFP.

The United States handled its first WBC game against Great Britain, but Mexico could pose a tougher test on Sunday. Read on for our USA vs. Mexico picks for the WBC 2023.

After an extra-inning loss to Colombia, Mexico is in desperate need of a win as it renews its rivalry with the United States on Sunday night in Phoenix. Can the loaded USA lineup find more consistency in its second game of the World Baseball Classic? 

Here is our best USA vs. Mexico WBC pick (odds via BetMGM; pick confidence based on a 1-to-5-star scale).

USA vs. Mexico pick: WBC 2023

USA -2.5 (+105 via BetMGM) ⭐⭐⭐⭐

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Mexico should be the more desperate team coming into Sunday after dropping its opening game of the tournament to Colombia on Friday night. Coming off of a solid campaign with the San Diego Padres, Nick Martinez will start on the mound for Team USA.

Mexico has already burned its top starter, Julio Urias, and didn’t get a win out of it against Colombia. There is some expectation that Patrick Sandoval will start for Mexico on Sunday, with Taijuan Walker and José Urquidy as other potential candidates. Regardless of who gets the ball, that pitcher should present a more difficult task for the United States than the matchup against Vance Worley of Great Britain, which the Americans didn’t exactly take full advantage of on Saturday.

But facing Great Britain to start of the tournament was a favorable way to get the jitters out of the way for the United States. I’m viewing that opening game in which Team USA scored six runs, three of which came on a Kyle Schwarber homer, as a tune-up of sorts for an American team that knows Sunday is the more important Pool C matchup.

After easing its way in with that matchup, I look for Team USA to put together more consistently competitive at-bats on Sunday. The lineup is too loaded not to make noise in what should be a raucous environment at Chase Field.

USA vs. Mexico best odds

BetMGM -2.5 (+105)

DraftKings BetMGM Caesars PointsBet
USA -1.5 USA -2.5 USA -2.5 USA -2.5
-180 +105 -110 -110

If you’re looking to back the United States on Sunday, you might as well go all-in. While DraftKings offers the most favorable run line at -1.5, the odds you’d lay to make the wager are substantial at -180 and dropping. Instead. I’m looking at the plus-money offering at BetMGM on USA -2.5. You’re getting the same number as what they’re offering at Caesars and PointsBet but with a more favorable return on your investment compared to the -110 odds at those sportsbooks.

Because of the lackluster offensive performance against Great Britain, I’m not overly confident in USA’s ability to cover a run line above 2.5, but at this number, we’re confident in the four-star recommendation.

USA vs. Mexico odds analysis

The United States opened between -1.5 and -2.5 across our best sportsbooks. Team USA opened between -325 and -375 on the moneyline.

The total opened between 9.5 and 10 and has remained in that range across our recommended sportsbooks.

USA vs. Mexico game info

  • Date: Sunday, March 12, 2023, 10 p.m. ET
  • TV: FS1
  • Location: Chase Field, Phoenix, AZ
  • Weather: Indoor

United States-Mexico pick made 03/12/2023 at 12:40 p.m. ET.

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