Phillies pitcher Jesús Luzardo has indicated his readiness to join Team Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic if needed. Luzardo, who spoke first with El Extrabase and then reiterated his position at Carpenter Complex on Sunday, said he is prepared to pitch for Venezuela in either the semifinal or championship round.
“Yeah, we’ll see what happens,” Luzardo said. “If they need me, I’ll go.”
Luzardo explained that he is currently on Venezuela’s reserve list, which allows him to be called up later in the tournament. The 28-year-old left-hander pitched in a simulated game on Saturday but has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League matchup this spring. With Cristopher Sánchez leaving Phillies camp to play for the Dominican Republic team in the WBC, Luzardo will take over his scheduled pitching day.
“I’ll make a start and come back,” Luzardo said of possibly joining Team Venezuela during the Classic.
Venezuela’s opening game is set against the Netherlands on Friday in Miami.
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