Right-handed pitcher Nick Martinez (33, San Diego Padres), who was selected to represent the United States at the 2021 Tokyo Olympics and played well in the Korean game, will participate in the 2023 World Baseball Classic (WBC).
The Associated Press reported on the 20th (Korean time) that “Martinez has been selected for the WBC USA team to replace Clayton Kershaw (Los Angeles Dodgers).”
Kershaw missed the WBC due to ‘insurance issues’.
The WBC Secretariat has made it compulsory for major league players to purchase insurance in case they are injured while participating in the tournament.
Based on Kershaw’s history of being plagued by injuries in recent years, the insurance company concluded that it could not pay out if Kershaw was injured at the WBC.
Eventually, Kershaw withdrew from the WBC.
The U.S. team persuaded Martinez, who had once refused to be called up, to join the WBC team.
Martinez made his big league debut with the Texas Rangers in 2014 and played until 2017.
During this period, Martinez’s major league record was 17-30 with an ERA of 4.77 in 88 games.
After that, he moved to Japan and played for the Nippon Ham Fighters from 2018 to 2020, before moving to the Softbank Hawks in 2021. 온라인카지노
Martinez, who was selected for the U.S. national team at the Tokyo Olympics, where the big leaguers did not participate, took the mound as a starter in the second game of the group stage against Korea.
In the final against Japan, he threw well with 5 hits, 1 run and 7 strikeouts in 6 innings, but he had to be satisfied with the silver medal because he was not supported by other players.
Martinez, who left a strong impression at the Tokyo Olympics, signed a contract with San Diego in December 2021 and succeeded in re-entering the big league, and in 2022 he played an active role with 4 wins, 4 losses, 8 saves, 8 holds, and an average ERA of 3.47.
In 2023, he was also selected for the WBC U.S. national team, which consisted only of big leaguers.