After concluding the first meeting of the group of Dominican players that will play in the World Baseball Classic, their first exhibition match against the Atlanta Braves will take place this Wednesday at Truist Park.
Although it is not an official game, but it is important to strengthen the ties of that congregation made up of players with stellar status, who come from 1 5 different Major League organizations.
Under the motto of RD Tamo Here, optimism reigned among the members of the Quisqueyan team, who on Saturday starting at 8:00 p.m. will face Venezuela in the first game in which Sandy Alcántara will take the mound at LoanDeport Park , of Miami.
In fact, this is the home of the brand new Cy Young Award winner, a space where he has a 17-21 record and a 2.77 ERA for life.
But before this first clash takes place, they will face off, first against the Braves, starting at 2:05 in the afternoon and on Thursday they will face the Twins at the same time at Target Field.
Roansy Contreras is the pitcher scheduled by manager Rodney Linares for the first game, while Johnny Cueto, a veteran of a thousand battles, will do so in the second game against Minnesota.
Contreras is a 23-year-old right-hander who belongs to the Pirates. Last season he was 5-5 with a 3.79 ERA. First-hand, the leader Linares did not inform who will follow him on the mound.
Against the Braves, he will face a lineup that includes status players such as Austin Riley, Matt Olson, Ozzie Albies, Michael Harris II, Marcell Ozuna, Sean Murphy, Vaughn Grissom, Travis d’Arnaud.
This is a superb group that led Atlanta to the East Division conquest last season with a record of 101-61, although they fell in the postseason.
Dominican roster
The Dominicans would have their arsenal of stars in action, which includes Manny Machado, Rafael Devers, Julio RodrÃguez, Teoscar Hernández, Jeremy Peña, Willy Adames, Eloy Jiménez, Ketel Marte, Jean Segura, Gary Sánchez, Francisco MejÃa among others.
Meeting
During the team’s first meeting, there were words from Juan Núñez Nepomuceno, president of the Dominican Baseball Federation, who urged the players to give everything for their country. Nelson Cruz, as his manager, Rodney Linares, the leader, and Robinson Canó also had a few words for his teammates.
Before the meeting there was camaraderie and a typical Dominican breakfast that included cheese and fried eggs, spaghetti, guineÃto, yucca, as well as a variety of salads.