Though rosters do not officially come out until Thursday, word leaked out via CBS Sports’ Jon Heyman on Sunday night that New York Yankees starting pitcher Andy Pettitte would be joining Team USA’s rotation for the World Baseball Classic. Other names leaked were R.A. Dickey of the Toronto Blue Jays and Ryan Vogelsong of the San Francisco Giants.
Pettitte did not pitch for Team USA during either the 2006 or the 2009 World Baseball Classic. The left-hander is coming off a season that saw him go 5-4 with a 2.87 ERA in just 12 starts in his return from retirement. So far, neither Yankees manager Joe Girardi or general manager Brian Cashman have commented on reports that Pettitte will be absent from parts of Spring Training while pitching for Team USA.
Pettitte, 40, joins Robinson Cano as the only Yankees committed to play in the World Baseball Classic thus far. Cano will be playing for his native Dominican Republic. David Robertson may crack the Team USA bullpen, but there has been no word as to whether he is interested in participating in the World Baseball Classic.
Team USA will open the World Baseball Classic against the Mexican national team on March 8 at Chase Field in Phoenix.
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