Cuba will have Yoenis Céspedes healthy and on the field when they take on the powerhouse team of the Netherlands and their MLB stars on the first day of the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Due to the time difference with Asia, the actions of Group A in the international tournament will begin this Tuesday night in Taiwan. Major League stars like Luis Robert and Xander Bogaerts will be up for grabs.
Day |
Hour |
Place |
records |
---|---|---|---|
Tuesday March 7 |
11:00 pm (US Eastern Time) |
Taichung Intercontinental Baseball Stadium, Taiwán |
Cuba 0-0 / Netherlands 0-0 |
The television broadcast of this meeting in Cuba is in charge of TeleRebelde and in the rest of Latin America by Fox Sports. IN Venezuela they will broadcast Televen, Venevisión, IVC, ByM Sports and Simple TV and there is streaming by subscription of BeisbolPlay.com.
The Netherlands hopes their star Xander Bogaerts is the leader they need to upset the World Classic and claim their first medal in the tournament. Manager Hensley Meulens has not made his starter official, but it is believed that the chosen one will be Lars Huijer, a 29-year-old right-hander who did not pitch in the Major Leagues.
Cuba suffered this weekend the sixth defeat in its tour of preparation for Asia for the World Classic. Manager Armando Johnson announced Yariel Rodríguez, a 25-year-old right-hander who filled a relief role in 2022 with the Chunichi Dragons of the Japan Professional Baseball League, as the starter.
Cuba: Roel Santos (RF), Yoán Moncada (3B), Luis Robert (CF), Alfredo Despaigne (BD), Yoennis Céspedes (LF), Yadir Drake (1B), Andy Ibáñez (2B), Lorenzo Quintana (C), Erisbel Arruebarruena (SS).
Netherlands: Wladimir Balentien (CF), Didi Gregorius (2B), Zander Wiel (1B), Xander Bogaerts (BD), Jurickson Profar (LF), Jonathan Schoop (3B), Roger Bernadina (RF), Andrelton Simmons (SS), Chadwick Tromp (C).