Camila Vega
Team USA for the WBC has confirmed several spots this week and here’s who is known to be playing in the World Baseball Classic. The WBC is a world tournament -equivalent to the World Cup- in which different countries compete with their teams for the cup.
After a three-year gap between the first two installments of the tournament, plans were made for the World Baseball Classic to be repeated every four years after the 2009 event. The third installment of the Classic was held in 2013, and the fourth was held in 2017. The fifth, originally scheduled for 2021, was postponed due to the COVID-19 pandemic. The 2021-22 Major League Baseball lockout CBA indicated that the WBC will return in 2023, with qualifiers scheduled to begin in September 2022.
Team USA for the WBC That Is Confirmed So Far for 2023
Team USA has confirmed several superstars on its roster. The United States has received commitments from Nolan Arenado, Trevor Story, Paul Goldschmidt and Bryce Harper’s Phillies teammate J.T. Realmuto. Team USA, the reigning WBC champions, will play their first round of the 2023 tournament at Chase Field in Phoenix from March 11-15.
Now, reigning National League MVP Bryce Harper has committed to represent his country in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, Major League Baseball announced on Friday. The WBC has been contested twice since Harper came to the majors in 2012, but this will be his first time participating in the tournament.
The Las Vegas native last played for Team USA at the 2009 Junior Pan American Championships, where he won a gold medal on the U-18 national team. Harper will share an outfield with Los Angeles Angels superstar Mike Trout, who was named captain of Team USA last month.
Their first-round opponents include México, Colombia and Canadá, plus a fifth country that will advance from next month’s qualifying tournaments. Harper, 29, owns a .318 / .385 / .599 slash line with 15 home runs and 48 RBIs in 64 games for the Philadelphia Phillies this season. He is currently on the injured list due to a thumb ailment.
