Team USA Is Looking MLBbro Formidable For World Baseball Classic Title Defense | Tim Anderson Is In The Building

Team USA Is Looking MLBbro Formidable For World Baseball Classic Title Defense | Tim Anderson Is In The Building

by | Aug 30, 2022 | THE LEAD OFF

Chicago White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson is taking the phrase “SouthSide Worldwide” to new heights, as he is the latest MLBbro to join the Team USA roster for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. The inaugural WBC was played in 2006 and had become one of the most unique events used to globalize the sport, until COVID caused the cancellation of the 2021 Classic.

Anderson is currently out with a hand injury, but the Chicago star has once again been one of the best hitters in baseball when healthy. On the year TA7 is hitting .301 with 100 hits, six home runs and 25 RBI out of the leadoff spot. Anderson is one of the best table setters in baseball, so adding him to a roster loaded with heavy hitters made perfect sense. 

TA is expected to be fully recovered from his injury by the tournament time in March, where he will join LA Dodgers superstar and 2018 MVP Mookie Betts and Baltimore Orioles building block Cedric Mullins as the only MLBbro’s on the roster. 

Betts has been one of the best players in baseball this season, and, if not for the Triple Crown pace of St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt, would be a frontrunner for National League MVP. Betts is slashing .355/.412/.839 over his last seven games with four bombs, eight RBI and 11 hits.

Mullins hasn’t been the same 30/30 player we saw last year, but he has still been a solid contributor for Baltimore. Mullins currently has 11 home runs and 23 stolen bases for an Orioles team that is looking to make some noise in the postseason for the first time in a while. 

The roster for Team USA won’t be settled until the off-season, so there are still a handful of MLBbros who should be locks for the roster should they choose to participate. Names like Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Byron Buxon are surely being considered for the final outfield spots, with Judge being the lone lock if he wants it. 

 

 

The pitching rotation for Team USA is yet to be announced, but young Black starters like Cleveland Guardians Tristan Mckenzie and New York Mets Taijuan Walker along with Milwaukee Brewers reliever Devin Williams should all be considered for the squad.

Team USA won the last World Baseball Classic in 2017, and despite the talent being stacked by countries like former champions in the Dominican Republic and Japan, the Americans will have a great shot at a repeat.