Brewers Manager Says Quiet Part Out Loud About Controversial WBC

The World Baseball Classic is coming up over the next few weeks and this year might showcase the most talent the event has seen in a very long time.

But fans remain split on whether the MLB's top players should participate in the event. This split was largely caused by Edwin Diaz's freak accident injury during the 2023 WBC that saw him tear the patellar tendon in his right knee during a celebration. Diaz missed the entire 2023 season and struggled a bit, by his standards, in 2024. The righty bounced back in a huge way in 2025 and will return to the WBC this spring.

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While the world remains split on the event, Milwaukee Brewers manager Pat Murphy has taken a side on the controversy. It doesn't seem like Murphy minds his players participating in one of the most prestigious baseball events in the world.

Pat Murphy shares thoughts, feelings about World Baseball Classic

"It's a little different, but I think it can be a positive They can gain some confidence. I think it pushes them into being in better shape," Murphy said. "We can back them off if we need to, but I don't think it's a negative in any way. I don't worry about injuries. They happen when guys are active. They happen when guys aren't as active. It's like, you try to do the best you can and use the best judgment. But these types of opportunities, this is a great event and a great opportunity for guys, so I don't try to fight it."

The Brewers will have 14 players suit up for varying countries in the WBC. Abner Uribe will play for the Dominican Republic. Tyler Black and Rob Zastryzny will represent the Brewers for Canada. Jackson Chourio, William Contreras, and Angel Verpa will suit up for Venezuela. Stiven Cruz, Carlos Rodriguez, and Freddy Zamora will play for Nicaragua. Andrew Fischer will represent Italy. Miles Langhorne and Jack Seppings will play for Great Britain. Joey Ortiz will play for Mexico while Brice Turang is the team's lone representative on the United States team.

While the event remains controversial, it's hard to imagine a player turning down the opportunity to represent their country at the highest level. There's a certain level of pride and love for one's country and people that can outweigh the risk of injury.

To be fair, there's an almost equal risk of injury in scrimmages, inter-squads, spring training games, and live batting practice. Murphy has the right idea on the topic, which is why he's such a well-respected manager in the big leagues.

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