Are Dodgers' Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman playing in World Baseball Classic?
During Dodgers star Mookie Betts' spare time between winning professional bowling championships, he occasionally puts on for his country and helps them secure global baseball titles, too.
Very charitable of him.
With the World Baseball Classic around the corner, that means spring training is ramping up early for a select few Dodgers who have to arrive in Arizona the second week of February to get prepared to represent their country.
Clayton Kershaw will be participating for Team USA, despite Dave Roberts' best efforts (most likely) to the contrary (considering the team had less than no interest in their goated left-hander completing a no-hitter last winter in Minnesota).
But what about the rest of the Dodgers? What about the versatile, athletic Betts and the steadiest first baseman in baseball?
Will Dodgers stars Mookie Betts, Freddie Freeman join Clayton Kershaw in World Baseball Classic?
As far as we know, Betts will be participating in a USA outfield that also includes the likes of Cedric Mullins and Kyle Schwarber.
Freddie Freeman, who has the responsibility of the largest contract in Dodgers history on his shoulders, will also be playing in the event. No pressure or anything. However, he'll actually be honoring his heritage by playing for Team Canada.
Full WBC rosters will be announced on the evening of Feb. 9, and last-minute changes are possible, but all three Dodgers discussed in this article are currently committed -- and have too much star power to slink off their rosters silently.
Betts, entering his age-30 season, is coming off a "tough year" where he only piled up 6.4 WAR and hit 35 bombs for a 111-win Dodgers team. Damn! That aging curve! Freeman, in his first year outside Atlanta, crunched a 152 OPS+ and racked up 5.9 WAR.
Both players appear to be aging gracefully, and will be doing so in Dodger Blue -- as soon as they're done battling for national supremacy. Aero Bars vs. Hershey's, eh?
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