Major League Baseball joined the NBA and other professional sports leagues last week by temporarily suspending operations due to the ongoing coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.
All remaining Spring Training games were cancelled, and the start of the regular season was delayed indefinitely. The 2021 World Baseball Classic qualifiers, scheduled to take place this month at Kino Sports Complex in Tucson, Ariz., were also postponed.
Pool A matchups would have began last week, with six teams in Brazil, France, Germany, Nicaragua, Pakistan and South Africa facing off in a double elimination format that would have determined two spots in next year’s World Baseball Classic.
Three Los Angeles Dodgers prospects in Leonardo Crawford (Nicaragua), Kieran Lovegrove (South Africa) and Marcus Solbach (Germany) each earned roster spots for their respective teams.
Team USA automatically earned a bid to the 2021 World Baseball Classic as a result of being the defending champions. While a roster hasn’t been announced yet, New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman has attempted to recruit some notable names.
Reigning National League MVP Cody Bellinger, through Twitter, hinted that he plans on participating:
Let’s gett it!! https://t.co/i4gmCkm7fn
— Cody Bellinger (@Cody_Bellinger) March 19, 2020
Dodgers All-Star Walker Buehler also unofficially committed to playing for Team USA in the 2021 World Baseball Classic:
🙋🏻♂️
— Walker Buehler (@buehlersdayoff) March 19, 2020
Stroman, who was named MVP of the 2017 World Baseball Classic, has been hard at work recruiting some of the biggest names in baseball to play for Team USA.
In addition to extending an invite to Bellinger and Buehler, Stroman has reached out to the likes of San Diego Padres first baseman Eric Hosmer and Milwaukee Brewers outfielder Christian Yelich:
@mookiebetts @MikeTrout @Cody_Bellinger @TheJudge44 @buehlersdayoff @BoFlows @BauerOutage #Story who else am I missing!? Tag who should play for @USABaseball! https://t.co/Ae9uNd2ylL
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
I thought the @USABaseball squad was scary in 2017…2021 about to be unreal. Sheesh!
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
Recruiting season. Lol @USABaseball
— Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
The 2017 Team USA roster consisted of numerous MLB All-Stars, including Colorado Rockies third baseman Nolan Arenado, Houston Astros third baseman Alex Bregman, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and Yelich.
Team USA defeated an equally talented Puerto Rico roster, 8-0, in the championship round at Dodger Stadium.
Have you subscribed to our YouTube channel? It’s the best way to watch player interviews, exclusive coverage from events, participate in our live shows, and more!
