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Philadelphia Phillies: Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto to play for Team USA in WBC

By Zach Ciavolella

Aug 5, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (right) and catcher J.T. Realmuto (left) react after scoring against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports
Aug 5, 2021; Washington, District of Columbia, USA; Philadelphia Phillies right fielder Bryce Harper (right) and catcher J.T. Realmuto (left) react after scoring against the Washington Nationals during the ninth inning at Nationals Park. Mandatory Credit: Brad Mills-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Philadelphia Phillies will not have one, but two stars representing Team USA as Bryce Harper will join J.T. Realmuto for the 2023 World Baseball Classic. Harper and Realmuto will join an already stacked Team USA roster featuring Trevor Story, a pair of St. Louis Cardinals stars in Nolan Arenado and Paul Goldschmidt, and of course, Millville’s own Mike Trout.

The 2023 World Baseball Classic will begin on Wednesday, March 8th, 2023, and run through March 21st. WBC 2023 will use a pool play structure, meaning that teams will be divided into groups — or pools — and face each other before the winner and runner-up of that pool move on to the quarterfinals, where they’ll pair with another pool and so on until the championship game on the 21st of March.

It has been announced that Team USA will play in pool C, which features teams from Mexico, Columbia, Canada, and a yet-to-be-determined team from the 2022 WBC Qualifiers. This will mark the fifth WBC as Team USA looks to defend their title, having won it all in 2017.

After winning the WBC championship in 2017, Team USA will look to repeat with the help of Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper and J.T. Realmuto.

Harper is currently on the mend from a broken thumb in his right hand but is expected to return to the Phillies’ lineup before the end of the month, so he’ll undoubtedly be good to go for the 2023 WBC. Before his injury, Harper was hitting .318/.385/.599 on the season as he was pursuing his second consecutive MVP award. He will, without a doubt, be a major contributor to the 2023 team.

J.T. Realmuto, meanwhile, is in the midst of a hot streak for the Philadelphia Phillies, leading them to a 25-14 record since Harper’s injury. In that time, the Phillies catcher has hit .318/.369/.618 with 8 home runs and 27 RBIs.

Both Phillies figure to play premier roles with Team USA and will give the city of Philadelphia one more reason to root come March of next year.

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