Nathan Eovaldi Gives Rangers Two In World Baseball Classic
With the signing of Nathan Eovaldi, the Rangers have added another player who will do double time in the World Baseball Classic in March.
The United States won the WBC in 2017 and has been steadily assembling its roster throughout the offseason.
Before Eovaldi agreed to his two-year contract with the Rangers, Eovaldi was announced as a member of the U.S. roster, the same day that former Texas starter Lance Lynn was announced.
The U.S. will play in Pool C of WBC action, along with Mexico, Colombia, Canada and Great Britain.
That adds an additional layer of preparation for the Rangers and Eovaldi, as spring training in Surprise, Ariz., is concurrent with the WBC.
At the moment, Eovaldi is the only Texas players on the U.S. roster. The Rangers will be able to keep tabs on him because Pool C is action is in nearby Phoenix.
But he’s not the only one the Rangers expected to participate in the WBC.
Rangers starter Martín Pérez told reporters when he signed his $19.65 million qualifying offer in November that he intended to make himself available for the Venezuelan team for the WBC. Venezuela will play in Pool D with Puerto Rico, the Dominican Republic, Israel and Nicaragua.
Pérez will be in Miami for Pool D action.
The WBC is set to run March 8-21.
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