Berrios, Hernández and Miranda commit to Puerto Rico
With manager Yadier Molina now in charge, Puerto Rico's roster -- and its hopes for its first World Baseball Classic title -- just got a little more clarity. The team announced on Thursday that Blue Jays starter José Berríos, Red Sox center fielder / multi-position super utilityman Kiké Hernández, and Twins first baseman Jose Miranda are all committed to Team Puerto Rico at next spring's World Baseball Classic.
Berríos (1-0, 6 2/3 IP, 8.11 ERA) and Hernández (4-for-15, 1 3B, 2 RBIs) both played for Puerto Rico at the 2017 tournament when the team finished as runners-up for the second consecutive time, while Miranda is new to the squad.
This browser does not support the video element.
- Group tickets are now on sale for the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix and Miami! Click here for Phoenix and here for Miami.
"I’m proud to be able to represent Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic,” Miranda said earlier this year. "It was a dream of mine. I can’t wait to share the field with [Carlos] Correa and the rest of the team."
Though Berríos struggled this year en route to his worst ERA since his rookie season (5.23), and Hernández battled injuries for much of the season, the two are expected to be key contributors. Miranda, who hit 15 home runs as a rookie with Minnesota this year, will provide plenty of pop from first.
Rosters won't be official until later in the offseason, but the trio join Correa, Javier Báez, Edwin Díaz, and even Marcus Stroman -- the '17 tournament MVP Award winner for Team USA -- among the players who have committed to the nation.
Though Puerto Rico are among the favorites to win the championship, it won't have an easy trip out of Pool D. The Dominican Republic and Venezuela -- two absolutely loaded powerhouses -- are joined by the 2017 Cinderella team, Israel, and a yet-to-be-determined qualified team in PR's pool.
The tournament begins on March 8, while Puerto Rico will kick off its tournament on March 11 in Miami, Fla.