SF Giants spring training facilities to host Team USA ahead of World Baseball Classic
The SF Giants facilities in Scottsdale, Arizona, will be Team USA’s home base ahead of the World Baseball Classic. Team USA, who were 2017’s WBC winners, will train at Scottsdale Stadium until the opening pool round. The Giants will also host Team USA for an exhibition game. The World Baseball Classic begins group stage play on March 8th, and the final will be held on March 21st at loanDepot field in Miami.
The SF Giants and Texas Rangers warm up before a Spring Training game at Scottsdale Stadium. (2022)
Matt Kartozian-USA TODAY Sports
Giants fans who’ve longed to see the likes of stars such as Bryce Harper, Mike Trout, and more training at their favorite team’s facility will see their wish come true, though of course each will be headed back to their respective MLB teams when the WBC is over.
Team USA will be attempting to win back-to-back WBC titles and with a star-studded roster, they’ve strengthened their chances. In addition to stars like Harper and Trout, former MVP Mookie Betts, and 2022 NL MVP Paul Goldschmidt have signed on to the squad.
The team will be managed by Mark DeRosa, who played on the 2009 Team USA squad and helped carry them to the semi-finals that year. Though he spent much of his career in Atlanta, DeRosa also played two seasons with the Giants, though they were mired by injuries. DeRosa’s bullpen coach will be former Giants pitching coach Dave Righetti.
Team USA faces the Giants on March 8th in one of 20 exhibition games organized between MLB and WBC teams this spring. Canada, Colombia, Mexico, and Great Britain, who are in Team USA’s pool, will all train and play group stage in Arizona as well, allowing them to face Cactus League teams in exhibitions. The pool with Venezuela, the Dominican Republic, Puerto Rico, Nicaragua, and Israel will train and play in Florida, making them available to play against Grapefruit League teams.
Joc Pederson, who on Tuesday re-signed with the Giants, agreeing to a qualifying offer, has announced he will play for Team Israel and will train in Florida. Team USA’s group stage play will take place between March 11-15 at Chase Field in Phoenix, and Team Israel’s group stage play will take place on the same dates at loanDepot Park in Miami.
The two pools will face each other in Miami for the quarterfinals, and if Team USA and Team Israel make it out of their pools, Pederson could match up against several fellow MLB players between March 17-18. The semifinals and finals will also take place in Miami, between March 19-21.
Though Team USA’s use of the Giants’ facilities in spring training is exciting, the impact it will have on the Giants’ schedule and their own training is not yet clear. Whether or not Giants fans will get access to Team USA practices has also not been announced.
MLB catchers and pitchers are expected to report to spring training as early as mid-February. The SF Giants play their first game against the Cubs on Saturday February 25th at 1:05PM PST.
