Chicago Cubs

Winners and Losers of the 2017 World Baseball Classic

Updated Mar. 4, 2020 4:40 p.m. ET

Fansided, Keaton Moore/FanSided via Call to the Pen

Robert Hanashiro-USA TODAY Sports

While the United States took home the championship, many in the 2017 World Baseball Classic came out of the tournament for better or worse.

After a roller coaster ride of excitement and heartbreak, the 2017 World Baseball Classic came to an end Wednesday night. Even after the United States shut out Puerto Rico in the championship game to end the tournament, the impact of the WBC lingers over a number of players.

While many players came into the tournament hoping to bring their country glory, a large number entered the WBC with something to prove. Some, such as Chris Archer of the Tampa Bay Rays and Jurickson Profar from the Texas Rangers, showed their true colors in the tournament. Others used the WBC to spur major league comebacks, including Eric Gagne and Wladimir Balentien.

On the flip side, Nolan Arenado and Hector Rondon cracked under the high intensity of the tournament. Players who agree to the WBC understand the risk of injury, and Didi Gregorius made an early return to the New York Yankees for that very reason.

One even excelled in the tournament, but has yet to see anything come of it and his career is coming dangerously close to ending.

With that being said, here are a few of the winners and losers of the WBC.

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Eric Gagne – Winner

Eric Gagne entered the World Baseball Classic set on making a major league comeback, a goal many believe to be unachievable. Yet after nearly 10 years away from baseball, the 41-year-old reliever converted many unbelievers with his short but promising appearance for Team Canada.

Following his debut in 1999, Gagne pitched a decade in the major leagues, eight of which he spent with the Los Angeles Dodgers. In 2003, he became the ninth reliever to win the Cy Young Award after posting 55 saves with a 1.20 ERA. However, by the time he made his final appearance 2008 with the Milwaukee Brewers, Gagne retired neck-deep in steroid allegations.

Fast forward to 2017. Gagne impressed in Canada's exhibition game against the Toronto Blue Jays on March 7. While touching 93 mph, he allowed just one hit and one walk in an inning of work.

Even as the stage increased in intensity, he truly cemented the potential of his comeback with his showing against Colombia on March 11.

Despite coming into a messy inning, Gagne kept the damage to one run with a bases-loaded walk. From there, he pitched a three-up, three-down inning with two strikeouts while maintaining velocity in the mid-90s.

"Coming in the with the bases loaded was hard, but I loved it," Gagne said (per mlbdailydish.com). "Great challenge and a good way to get right back at it."

Next: Rebound (Tampa Bay) Ray

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Chris Archer – Winner

With one strong start with Team USA, Chris Archer proved that 2016 was nothing more than a fluke while remaining healthy in the World Baseball Classic. Although his time in the tournament came to an end after one appearance, he returns to the Tampa Bay Rays ready to rebound.

"It was amazing," Archer said (per mlb.com). "It was some of the most run I've ever had playing baseball. And hopefully we can have a similar approach and atmosphere this year. Just having fun and playing meaningful games."

The year following an All-Star season that ended with him coming in fifth for the Cy Young Award, Archer's numbers dropped drastically. Through 33 starts in 2016, he went 9-19 with a 4.02 ERA after losing his first four starts of the season.

Regardless of the struggles he brought with him to the WBC, Archer left with reaffirmed confidence. He began Team USA's run to the championship with a perfect four-inning start against Colombia on March 10. Archer retired each of the 12 batters he faced and struck out three.

Archer showed in that short start his true potential when he is supported by a strong defense. The Rays committed 94 errors in 2016, which contributed to Archer's slumped season. While solidifying his argument for the Rays to keep him as part of their future, he also upped his trade value with evidence that he can round out a middle-of-the-road rotation.

"My potential is much higher," Archer said (per usatoday.com). "I'm capable of so much more."

Next: Profar Pick-Off Embed from Getty Images

Jurickson Profar – Winner

After a strong start to 2016, where he batted .345 with three homers and 16 runs scored through late June, he leveled out to finish the year batting .239 with five homers and 20 RBI in 90 games.

Along with a number of notable major league stars, Profar agreed to join the Netherlands, who eventually fell one win short of the championship game. Nevertheless, Profar batted .464 with one home run, 4 RBI and hits in each of the Dutch's seven games. His 13 hits finished second behind his Dutch teammate, Wladimir Balentien, for the second most in the tournament.

With the regular season on the horizon, the Rangers are working to fill their hole in left field. Despite his lack of outfield experience in the major leagues, Profar displayed his ability to adapt by spending the entire tournament in center field.

Granted, his inexperience leaked through at times, but Profar assured the Rangers with his WBC performance that he can make the transition to left while maintaining his offensive numbers.

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Wladimir Balentien – Winner

Wladimir Balentien took the spotlight in many of the Netherlands' key moments during the World Baseball Classic, but he dreams of the spotlight across the Pacific Ocean. With his success in the Japan Central League and a phenomenal WBC, Balentien sets his eyes on returning to the majors as soon as 2018.

"I am going to show everybody that I still can be that player that I am when I was younger," Balentien said (per mlb.com). "I think playing this tournament, having success, probably hope it opens a couple more doors for me, maybe, coming back to the States."

His second WBC appearance came on the coattails of his sixth season with the Yakult Swallows. After playing in the minor leagues in 2010, Balentien joined the Swallows, where he found his stride.

Within his five 30-plus home run seasons, Balentien set a Japanese baseball record with 60 home runs in 2013. During that same year, he batted .330 with 131 RBI and 94 runs scored. Although his average dipped to .269 last season, he maintained his power by hitting 31 homers.

His transition to Japan resulted from a disappointing entrance into the major leagues. Despite being one of the Seattle Mariners' top prospects, he played no more than 100 games per season from 2007-2009. As a member of the Mariners and Cincinnati Reds, Balentien batted .220 with only 15 home runs.

Balentien hopes to earn another shot at a major league career after his final season with the Swallows in 2017.

Hector Rondon – Loser

Although the Chicago Cubs are indifferent to his tournament struggles, Hector Rondon's downward spiral that began in 2016 stretched into the World Baseball Classic with Team Venezuela.

In his first tournament appearance on March 15, Rondon ruined Venezuela's one-run lead in the eighth inning by giving up home runs to Adam Jones and Eric Hosmer. Following his meltdown, the United States brought their country the championship as Venezuela went 0-3 in the second round.

"I know I had a bad outing that day," Rondon said (per csnchicago.com). "I enjoyed playing with those guys."

Rondon made another appearance against Puerto Rico on March 18 and gave up two runs in his one inning of work.

His woes in the tournament can be traced back to last season. Ever since suffering a tricep injury in 2016, Rondon has not been the same player.

In 2015, Rondon owned a 1.67 ERA with 30 saves in 47 games finished. However, with the combination of his injury and the addition of Aroldis Chapman, not only did Rondon lose his role as closer, but finished the season 2-3 with a 3.53 ERA.

Regardless, Rondon and the Cubs are confident that he can rebound in 2017. Although a rocky WBC showing was not what Rondon was hoping for, Cubs manager Joe Maddon is not worried. Per CSN Chicago:

"He said he feels great, and that's all I want to hear," Maddon said. "We'll fine-tune the location of his pitches, because the other day he said he had great stuff. It was just in a bad spot, (and) he knows that, so he's very accountable about the other night. He feels like he knows what he needs to do to fix it. I love that. I like the upbeat nature."

Next: Arenado's Rocky Tournament

Logan Bowles-USA TODAY Sports

Nolan Arenado – Loser

He might have hoisted the World Baseball Classic trophy with his fellow United States teammates, but Nolan Arenado's rough time in the tournament is concerning for the Colorado Rockies. With a miserable .161 batting average and 11 strikeouts, Arenado failed in his first experience under postseason-like pressure.

In just three seasons in the major leagues, Arenado solidified himself as one of the game's best. After batting .287 in 2014 and 2015, he hit .294 with 41 home runs and 133 RBI last season. Not to mention, he cut his strikeouts down by seven and doubled his number of walks.

As Arenado made a name for himself, the Rockies are struggling to regain contention in the NL West. Since Arenado debuted in 2013, Colorado has failed to post more than 75 wins. They finished third in the division last season, but they have not put together a winning season since 2010.

You could say Arenado is the Mike Trout of the Rockies.

Despite Arenado's phenomenal regular season achievements, the Rockies' shortcomings make his postseason value a mystery. As an integral part of their framework, the Rockies are counting on Arenado's production if they can reach the postseason. If Arenado's postseason performance mirrors that of the WBC, Colorado is in for disappointment.

Angel Pagan – Loser

He might have swung the bat well during 2016 and the World Baseball Classic, but Angel Pagan is a loser in the tournament unless he finds a major league employer.

Despite working against a hamstring injury, Pagan played 129 games in what looked like his last season with the San Francisco Giants in 2016. He batted .277 and enjoyed a personal power boost of a career-high 12 home runs.

Heading into free agency, Pagan set his eyes on a multi-year major league contract to extend his career. According to Jon Heyman, Pagan was offered a deal by a number of different teams right before the WBC, such as the Atlanta Braves and Pittsburgh Pirates. At one point he came close to signing with the Baltimore Orioles, but the deal fell through after a failed physical.

With plenty of uncertainty, Pagan hit .286 with a .324 OBP in the leadoff spot for Puerto Rico. While the rest of the team struggled against Team USA's pitching staff, Pagan recorded two of his country's three hits in the championship game.

Sure, his performance in the WBC showed his swing is worth a major league contract and that he is healthy, but his quest for the perfect contract might doom him to reluctant retirement.

Didi Gregorius – Loser

On paper, Didi Gregorius appears to be one of the winners from the World Baseball Classic. He batted .348 through seven games with eight RBI, five runs and one home run for the Netherlands.

However, a late-tournament injury overshadowed his stellar performance and Gregorius is expected to be sidelined until May.

Although he played a key offensive role in getting the Dutch to the semifinals, Gregorius did not partake in their losing effort against Puerto Rico. Instead, he rejoined the New York Yankees after experiencing shoulder tightness during an exhibition game against the Arizona Diamondbacks on March 18. A preliminary report on Sunday showed a strain in his right shoulder.