Red Sox Players Shine in World Baseball Classic: ‘We’ve Got Juice’
Several Red Sox-linked players turned heads during the World Baseball Classic. Their performances covered both offense and pitching across multiple national teams.
Offensive standouts
Abreu supplied a defining moment in the quarterfinals against Japan. He hit a go-ahead homer and followed with an emphatic bat flip.
Two days later, Abreu added another homer in the WBC Finals. His sequence resonated across Venezuelan baseball circles.
- Roman Anthony was one of Team USA’s top performers. He delivered a go-ahead, left-on-left homer in the semifinals against the Dominican Republic.
- Jarren Duran slashed .333/.412/1.000 and hit three home runs while playing for Mexico.
- Masataka Yoshida produced a .375/.444/.813 line for Japan.
- Nate Eaton homered off Tarik Skubal for Great Britain and slashed .316/.316/.579.
Anthony noted the low external expectations for Boston’s power. He said exceeding those expectations felt easier with the bar set low.
Pitching highlights
Garrett Whitlock was dominant for Team USA despite giving up the decisive run in one game. He worked a perfect inning against the heart of the Dominican lineup in the semifinals.
Team USA manager Mark DeRosa praised Whitlock as among the game’s top relievers. Whitlock’s confidence was clear in his postgame comments.
- Greg Weissert closed for Team Italy. He threw 3⅓ scoreless innings and recorded a tournament-high three saves.
- Brayan Bello started for the Dominican. He allowed one hit and struck out seven over five innings.
Two Venezuelan players had limited action. First baseman Willson Contreras and starter Ranger Suarez saw minimal playing time. They will need to accelerate preparations for the season.
Transition back to Spring Training and the regular season
The full Red Sox big league group will reunite in Fort Myers for spring training. The WBC’s raucous atmosphere will be replaced by routine camp work.
Players who spent weeks in tournament play expect an adjustment. Many hope to carry momentum into regular season play beginning next Thursday in Cincinnati.
As Garrett Whitlock put it, ‘We’ve Got Juice.’ That optimism underlines the belief within the club after a strong international showing.
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