Team USA manager says he’s just happy Kershaw is going to be a part of the squad
The World Baseball Classic will start in early March, and Team USA will look to repeat from their 2017 gold medal.
Team USA is full of All-Stars and future Hall of Famers, and none are more prominent than Dodgers veteran ace Clayton Kershaw.
Kershaw will make his Team USA debut, and manager of Team USA Mark DeRosa talked about what it means to manage a guy like Clayton.
Dodgers insider David Vassegh hosted DeRosa on Dodgers Talk, and he said Kershaw is already concerned about taxing the bullpen.
“I spoke to Clayton probably the most throughout the process. Just blown away that he decided to do it. Just kind of getting a feel for where he is on March 11, March 12, when he’s going to toe the slab and run out to that mound with that USA jersey on. So funny, talking to him because I haven’t been around him much but he’s one of the greatest pitchers of all time and his concerns were ‘Hey on March 11, March 12, this is where I’m at, I don’t want to tax the bullpen, I don’t want to put you in a position…’ and I was like Clayton, tax all of us. We just want you to be a part of this with us. He’s right on schedule with where every other starting pitcher is at that point I just think guys need to ramp it up obviously a little bit earlier in the offseason.”
The 34-year-old is one of the fiercest competitors of all time. He’s accomplished everything a pitcher can, and even at the tail end of his career, he’s willing to battle for a gold medal for his country.
Team USA’s first game will be on March 11 against Great Britain, and hopefully, Kershaw is getting the start for the red, white, and blue.
The lefty ace will join outfielder Mookie Betts and catcher Will Smith representing LA in the WBC.
Dodger fans can’t wait to see the lefty go out there and do his thing in front of the entire world.
