Ahead of Brooklyn qualifier, vets join WBC staffs
This browser does not support the video element.
With the 2017 World Baseball Classic's Brooklyn qualifier a little more than a month away, three nations announced significant additions to their staffs on Monday, according to MLB.com's Jon Paul Morosi.
Team Brazil has added longtime MLB veterans LaTroy Hawkins and Steve Finley as assistant coaches for the qualifier, joining manager Barry Larkin's staff.
Great Britain will bring in Trevor Hoffman, the 16-year closer for the Padres who now serves as a senior advisor to the team, to be its bullpen coach.
• World Baseball Classic coverage
Israel has added Craig Breslow, the 11-year veteran reliever who was released by the Rangers earlier this month, to join its pitching staff.
The qualifier in Brooklyn, which will be played from Sept. 22-25 at MCU Park, includes Brazil, Great Britain, Israel and Pakistan.
Along with Australia, Mexico and Colombia, which booked their tickets in the other qualifiers, the winner from the Brooklyn qualifier will advance to the World Baseball Classic tournament next March, and join Canada, China, Chinese Taipei, Cuba, Dominican Republic, Italy, Japan, Korea, Kingdom of the Netherlands, Puerto Rico, the United States and Venezuela, which each received automatic invitations based on their performance in the 2013 tournament.