FORT MYERS, Fla. – The Purple Sox may be sending one in every of their brightest younger stars to the World Baseball Basic in any case.
Roman Anthony will bear an consumption bodily on Saturday to find out if he’s eligible to affix Workforce USA for subsequent month’s match. As first reported by the Boston Globe’s Tim Healey, Anthony would exchange Arizona Diamondbacks star Corbin Carroll, one in every of three main leagues sidelined by hamate accidents this week.
The Purple Sox outfielder was one in every of Workforce USA’s prime selections, a supply informed the Herald. So, too, was left-hander Garrett Crochet, who isn’t collaborating within the triennial match.
The expectation that Workforce USA, which misplaced the ’23 match to Japan, will once more make one other deep run this yr, contributed to Anthony’s preliminary determination to abstain. Workforce USA’s first sport of the match is March 6 in Houston, and the championship sport is March 17 in Miami. The Purple Sox open the 2026 season in Cincinnati on Thursday, March 26.
The Purple Sox had 14 main and minor league gamers unfold out throughout 13 of 20 WBC groups when rosters had been introduced final week, together with Masataka Yoshida, who attempt to win gold with Workforce Japan for the second consecutive match. Jarren Duran can also be again on Workforce Mexico after taking part in for them in 2023, whereas Brayan Bello and Ceddanne Rafaela are set to make their respective WBC debuts for Workforce Dominican Republic and Workforce Netherlands, and lefty Jovani Morán is on Workforce Puerto Rico. Workforce Italy, which could have Purple Sox righty Greg Weissert on its roster, additionally tried to recruit Anthony.
The membership’s heaviest presence is on Workforce Venezuela, which could have right-fielder Wilyer Abreu, first baseman Willson Contreras and left-hander Ranger Suárez. Catcher Carlos Narváez additionally wished to signify Venezuela, however was one in every of a number of gamers across the league to be denied insurance coverage as a consequence of damage historical past. (Narváez underwent meniscus surgical procedure in October.)
If Anthony passes his bodily, he received’t be the one Purple Sox participant on Workforce USA. Earlier this winter, veteran right-hander Garrett Whitlock was in mattress watching soccer when he despatched what he thought was a spam name to a voicemail. It turned out to be Workforce USA supervisor Mark DeRosa, who requested the righty to provide him a name again.
“I’ve wished to do that since I used to be a child, play for any of the USA groups,” Whitlock mentioned, “and was by no means adequate to have that chance. So the truth that they requested me this time, I used to be honored.”
“I keep in mind simply hanging up the telephone name and simply sort of like, leaning again in mattress and simply taking a look at my spouse,” Whitlock mentioned, “being like, ‘Oh my gosh, is that actual, or did I simply dream that?’”
