ORLANDO–Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson will play for Team USA in the World Baseball Classic. Henderson was one of several major league stars to be named to the team on Tuesday.
Team USA begins play against Brazil on March 6th at Houston’s Leakin Park. They’ll continue pool play against Great Britain on March 7th, Mexico on March 9th, and Italy on March 10th.
Henderson joins starter Dean Kremer, who’ll pitch for Team Israel. Former Oriole Nelson Cruz, the general manager of the Dominican Republic, said he hopes that catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo will play for the DR, but that’s anything but a certainty.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa said Henderson and Kansas City Royals shortstop Bobby Witt Jr. will get playing time.
“Like I told Gunnar, he’s going to play,” DeRosa said. “I know Gunnar won’t go over to second base. There’s a way to make all these guys happy.”
Kremer will be pitching in his third WBC for Team Israel. He also pitched in 2017 and 2023.
“I think he’s a tremendous pitcher and even a better person,” Team Israel general manager Simon Rosenbaum said. “He represents us well on and off the field. I’m super proud to have him be the face of Team Israel.
“Dean’s our ace. He’s accomplished a ton in his major league career. He deserves it, strictly from an on-field perspective and his performance and talent. I think he’s a tremendous ambassador for us.”
Team Israel also has Pittsburgh Pirates infielder Spencer Horwitz, a native of Timonium.
The Orioles will host Team Netherlands at Ed Smith Stadium in Sarasota on March 3rd.
Netherlands general manager Peter Kwakernaak is looking forward to playing the Orioles because the team has had several players from Aruba and Curacao. He’s hoping that former Orioles second baseman Jonathan Schoop, who’s played in Mexico the last two years, will play for the Netherlands.
“It’s one of the teams that we really like. We hope that we can play them well early in the season,” Kwakernaak said.
Atlanta second baseman Ozzie Albies, San Diego infielder Xander Bogaerts and Boston outfielder Ceddanne Rafaela are expected to play against the Orioles. Reliever Kenley Jansen could also play.
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