It’s been an eventful morning for the San Francisco Giants.
Just hours after reports surfaced that the club has filled their hole at closer, Major League Baseball announced that Buster Posey will be representing his country in the World Baseball Classic this March.
Posey is one of the initial list of 30 players that was announced by the league on Monday morning. Posey’s US teammates include Andrew McCutchen (Pirates), Max Scherzer (Nationals), Chris Archer (Rays) and Adam Jones (Orioles).
This will mark the first time Posey has participated in the tournament which takes place from March 9-22 of next year, just a few weeks before the Giants open their season on April 2. The 2017 tournament will be the fourth iteration of the WBC, with the Dominican Repbulic winning the last tournament in 2013. The United State’s has never won, with a fourth place finish in 2009 their best ever performance.
Posey’s participation means he will miss a good portion of spring training, with WBC participants arriving and leaving early.
Teammate Brandon Crawford is also a possible participant this year, with reports surfacing last week that his name was on the provisional roster. More players will be added in the coming days.
Buster Posey hit .288 with 14 home runs and 80 RBI last season. He started 122 games while dealing wit back and hand issues and took home his first Gold Glove.