Greg Weissert strikes out Aaron Judge to seal upset.
For much of the early portion of the World Baseball Classic, the spotlight has belonged to star hitters and frontline starters.
On Tuesday night, however, one of the quieter arms from the Boston Red Sox bullpen unexpectedly found himself at the center of one of the tournament’s biggest moments.
Greg Weissert delivered a late-inning performance for Team Italy that helped seal an 8-6 upset over Team USA - a result that instantly became one of the most surprising outcomes of the tournament’s pool stage.
And fittingly, the game ended with Weissert staring down one of the sport’s biggest stars.
With two outs in the ninth inning and the tying runs on base, Weissert faced Aaron Judge. The Red Sox reliever worked the count to 1-2 before snapping off a slider that Judge swung through for strike three, ending the game and setting off a celebration on the mound.
Mar 10, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Italy pitcher Greg Weissert (57) reacts after Italy defeated the United States at Daikin Park. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)For a pitcher who typically operates outside the spotlight, it was the kind of moment few could have predicted heading into the night.
Weissert had already navigated a tense situation an inning earlier.
Entering in the eighth with Italy protecting a narrow lead, he inherited a bases-loaded jam and managed to escape by inducing a groundout to end the threat. From there, he returned for the ninth and finished the job, striking out both Gunnar Henderson and Judge to close the door.
All told, Weissert logged 1.1 scoreless innings with 2 strikeouts - a small stat line that carried enormous weight in the context of the game.
For Red Sox fans watching the tournament, the moment created an unusual mix of reactions.
On one hand, Weissert striking out two of the American League East’s most dangerous hitters - Judge and Henderson - was an impressive display from a Boston reliever.
On the other, it came at the expense of Team USA.
Either way, the result added another surprising Red Sox connection to an already eventful tournament.
Around the WBC, several Boston players have played prominent roles for their respective countries, but Weissert’s appearance was different.
He wasn’t expected to be a headliner. Yet for one night, the Red Sox reliever ended up delivering the tournament’s biggest punchline - striking out one of baseball’s most feared hitters to finish off a stunning upset.
Mar 10, 2026; Houston, TX, United States; Italy pitcher Greg Weissert (57) reacts after Italy defeated the United States at Daikin Park. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)JOIN THE CONVERSATION:
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Tom Carroll is a contributor for Roundtable, with boots-on-the-ground coverage of all things Boston sports. He's a senior digital content producer for WEEI.com, and a native of Lincoln, RI.