Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Merrill Kelly will be part of Team USA for the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Kelly joins a stacked list of commitments that includes Los Angeles Angels outfielder Mike Trout, Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Bryce Harper, Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Mookie Betts, St. Louis Cardinals first baseman Paul Goldschmidt and third baseman Nolan Arenado.
Besides Kelly, the group of American pitchers began to take shape on Thursday with their first commitments announced. Kelly, the only starter announced so far, will pitch alongside relievers like Devin Williams of the Milwaukee Brewers and Dillon Tate of the Baltimore Orioles.
Kelly had a career year in 2022, posting a 13-8 record with a 3.37 ERA, 1.138 WHIP, 200.1 innings pitched and 177 strikeouts.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic begins on March 11 and will continue until March 21 before the start of the 2023 MLB season. Team USA is in Group C and will face Mexico, Colombia, Canada and one other team to be determined.
The format is four pools with five countries each. The 20 teams are reduced to eight through pool play, with each pool winner and runner-up advancing. From there, a knockout bracket will go through the quarter-finals and semi-finals before the final on March 21.
USA Pool C will play all of its matches at Chase Field in Phoenix from March 11-15.
The World Baseball Classic began in 2006. Japan won the first two editions before the Dominican Republic won the championship in 2013. Team USA are defending champions after winning the last event in 2017.
