The 2023 World Baseball Classic is one month away, and rosters officially were announced Thursday.
The United States will look to defend their crown as the field has expanded to 20 teams this year. Great Britain, the Czech Republic and Nicaragua will participate for the first time. The tournament will start with pool play on March 8 in Japan, Taiwan and the U.S. The championship game is scheduled for March 21.
The Boston Red Sox will have 12 players in the tournament. Ceddanne Rafaela could have played for the Netherlands, but the young prospect has opted not to do so.
Nick Pivetta will join Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Freddie Freeman on Team Canada. Catcher Jorge Alfaro and relief pitcher Rio Gomez will represent Colombia. Rafael Devers will be part of an impressive Dominican Republic team that will Manny Machado, Julio RodrÃguez, Eloy Jiménez, Juan Soto and Vladimir Guerrero Jr.
Richard Bleier, who Boston acquired in the Matt Barnes trade, will join Israel, which is hoping for another Cinderella run like it went on in 2017. New signee Masataka Yoshida will join Shohei Ohtani on a Japanese team that also includes young phenoms in Roki Sasaki and reigning Nippon Professional Baseball MVP Munetaka Murakami.
Alex Verdugo and Jarren Duran will pair up to play for Mexico. Kenley Jansen will join former Red Sox and current San Diego Padres shortstop Xander Bogaerts. Kiké Hernández and Edwin Diaz -- not the New York Mets All-Star, though the closer also will be part of the team -- will play for Puerto Rico under manager Yadier Molina. Pitcher Norwith Gudino will represent team Venezuela.
The WBC also will feature multiple other Major League Baseball stars as fans anticipate a variety of dream matchups. Those who will play in the WBC have arrived to spring training early, according to The Boston Globe's Pete Abraham, before departing in preparation for the tournament. Yoshida has been working out this week, showing off his impressive power.
