With the 2026 World Baseball Classic just months away, Canada is hoping to bring a roster stocked with major-league talent to Puerto Rico.
Speaking with reporters Tuesday at MLB's Winter Meetings, Team Canada general manager Greg Hamilton and manager Ernie Whitt discussed how the team is coming together in the lead-up to the tournament.
Most notably, all-star first baseman and former NL MVP Freddie Freeman "really wants to play" in 2026, per Hamilton.
But Freeman, who suited up in the red and white in both the 2017 and 2023 events in honour of his Canadian parents, is currently dealing with "a little bit of a health issue," Hamilton said, per Sportsnet's Ben Nicholson-Smith.
During the 2023 WBC, Freeman was forced to withdraw midway through the tournament after tweaking his hamstring.
Alongside Freeman, Hamilton said that Josh and Bo Naylor both "strongly want to play," adding that "everything is good" for the brothers to share the field for Canada.
Josh is coming off a strong 2025 season, in which he helped Seattle to the American League Championship Series against the Toronto Blue Jays. He quickly re-signed with the Mariners earlier this off-season on a $92.5 million deal.
Nicholson-Smith reported that the team is also optimistic that young Canadians Denzel Clarke, Abraham Toro, Otto Lopez and Edouard Julien will be able to represent their country again, and that Owen Caissie is set to play.
All five were on Canada's roster in 2023.
Lopez told reporters in Miami earlier this season that he plans on returning for the 2026 tournament. In 2023, he held down shortstop duties for Canada and slashed .294/.333/.588/.921 with one home run and six RBIs.
As is usually the case with the WBC, pitching continues to be "a work in progress," per Nicholson-Smith, who shared updates on the following hurlers:
• Cleveland Guardians relievers Cade Smith and Erik Sabrowski appear to be on board.
• Top Mets prospect Jonah Tong wants to play and would be welcome if New York signs off on his participation.
• Nick Pivetta is seemingly a remote possibility following his excellent 2025 for the San Diego Padres.
• Veteran southpaw James Paxton is in the mix. He last pitched for the Boston Red Sox in 2024 before announcing his retirement.
Canada will head to San Juan for this year's WBC for Pool A action. It is grouped with host Puerto Rico, Colombia, Cuba and Panama. The top two teams from pool play will advance to the quarterfinals in Houston.
In preparation for Canada's tournament-opening game against Colombia on March 7, the team will host training camp in Dunedin, Fla. The Canadian squad will also play a pair of tune-up games in Florida against the Blue Jays and Philadelphia Phillies.
4:29
