Mike Trout, Shohei Ohtani (LA Angels) and Clayton Kershaw (LA Dodgers). Star players commanding the major leagues are declaring their participation in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) one after another. There are still three months left, but the atmosphere is already ripening.
MLB announced on the 20th (Korean time) that Kershaw will play for the US national team at the 2023 WBC.
Since his big league debut in 2008, Kershaw has played exclusively for the Dodgers, recording a career record of 197 wins and 87 losses with an ERA of 2.48. He received the National League Sai video in 2011, 2013, and 2014, and in 2014, he vomited the spirit of winning the Most Valuable Player (MVP) along with the Cy video.
Even this season, when he was in his mid-30s, he still showed off his skills with 12 wins and 3 losses with an ERA of 2.28.
This is Kershaw’s first appearance at the WBC, which is in its fifth round. With Kershaw’s appearance, the starting pitching staff of the U.S. team added more weight.
The ‘defending champion’ USA has already confirmed the WBC players one by one since this summer when the season was already in progress. The list is not released at once as it is necessary to hear the players’ intentions to participate, but even the list that has been released so far is of the ‘All-Star’ level, with a large number of players who command the league.
Trout, who won the American League MVP three times, Bryce Harper (Philadelphia Phillies, 2 times), Mookie Betts (Dodgers, 1 time), and Paul Goldschmidt (St. Louis Cardinals, 1 time).
In addition, Kyle Schwaber (Philadelphia), Pete Alonso (New York Mets), and Nolan Arenado (St. Louis) are big guns with a home run record.
The pitching staff, which included Adam Wainwright (St. Louis), Merrill Kelly (Arizona Diamondbacks), Ryan Presley (Houston Astros), and Daniel Bard (Colorado Rockies), was relatively less flashy, but with Kershaw’s addition, the weight increased at once.
Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander (above the Mets), and Aaron Judge (New York Yankees), who are of the “superstar” class, have not yet heard of participation, but they have built a roster that is enough to catch the attention of fans around the world.
In Japan, major leaguers are also announcing that they will join the national team one after another. In particular, Ohtani, who is successfully performing ‘two-tacking’ in the big leagues, will be joining the WBC for the first time, along with Yu Darvish 토토사이트 (San Diego Padres) and Seiya Suzuki (Chicago Cubs).
In addition to this, Senga Kodai, who recently signed a large contract with the Mets for 5 years and 75 million dollars (approximately 97.6 billion won), is also hoping to participate in the WBC. It is an important time ahead of his major league debut, but he has a strong will to join the national team.
Not just the US and Japan. The Dominican Republic, the 2013 WBC championship team, also led by Vladimir Guerrero (Toronto Blue Jays), Jose Ramirez (Cleveland Guardians), Juan Soto, Manny Machado (above San Diego), and Rafael Devers (Boston Red Sox), etc. Video winner Sandy Alcantara (Miami Marlins) will also participate.
In the case of the Korean national team, led by coach Lee Kang-cheol, the roster is being outlined by announcing the preliminary 50-man roster last month. While KBO leaguers form the main axis, there is a possibility that players active in the major leagues will also participate.
Ryu Hyun-jin (Toronto), who is injured, is difficult to join, but Kim Ha-seong (San Diego), first baseman Choi Ji-man (Pittsburgh Pirates), and utility infielder Park Hyo-joon (Atlanta Braves) are all included in the roster.
In addition, Tommy Edman (St. Louis) and Rob Lefsnyder (Boston), who have Korean descent, are also included in the preliminary list, raising expectations. If Edmon, who is recognized for his excellent defense as the main second baseman of St. Louis, joins, it is expected that he will form a ‘Big League Keystone Combi’ with Kim Ha-seong.