The 2023 World Baseball Classic games on Tuesday were ones to forget for the Los Angeles Dodgers players participating in the international tournament.
None of the Dodgers made an impact offensively, and Team Canada lost Freddie Freeman to a right hamstring injury early in the game.
Freeman flied out in the third inning and jogged gingerly to first base, but he initially remained in the game. The 33-year-old was seen on the broadcast stretching and grabbing at his right hamstring while playing the field but came out at the start of the bottom of the fourth inning.
Freeman’s injury forced Team Canada to move Jared Young from left field to first base, Jacob Robson from center field to left field, and California State University, Northridge alumnus Denzel Clarke was inserted into the game in center field.
The 2020 National League Most Valuable Player went 0-for-2 before being removed, while Clarke went 0-for-1 with a walk and a stolen base in place of Freeman.
Despite losing their star player, Canada still pulled off a 5-0 win against Team Colombia, which gives them a 2-1 record with a chance to advance to the WBC quarterfinals for the first time in their history.
Trayce Thompson continued to start for Team Great Britain, but his strikeout issues have carried into the tournament. Against Team Mexico, Thompson went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts, and he is now batting .214 in the WBC.
Neither Austin Barnes nor Julio Urías played in the game for Mexico, but they were still able to defeat Great Britain by a score of 2-1.
The only other Dodgers player to appear in a game was David Peralta for Team Venezuela. The veteran outfielder replaced Luis Rengifo in left field as a defensive substitution in the seventh inning, and he did not receive a plate appearance.
Venezuela defeated Team Nicaragua 4-1, which clinched their spot in the quarterfinals and sets up a matchup of Puerto Rico against the Dominican Republic for the final spot in Pool D on Wednesday, March 15.
Julio Urías not available for Team Mexico
Mexico is playing in what has become a must-win game against Team Canada on Wednesday, but Urías is not going to pitch in any capacity.
“He’s not available,” Mexico manager Benji Gil said. “I believe that maybe he would want, but I have to protect his career because, yes, I would love to win this tournament.
“I’m not going to trouble his career for no reason at all, even though he’s one of the greatest Mexican pitchers. If he would come out, I would tackle him to stop him.”
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