Ex-Blue Jays pitcher added as a replacement to Team USA roster
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With the World Baseball Classic just around the corner, many teams are having to make last minute adjustments.
One such team is the United States who, on Sunday, announced that pitcher Ryan Yarbrough had been added to the team as a replacement for Joe Ryan, who has been dealing with some back inflammation.
Joe Ryan will miss the World Baseball Classic due to a back injury. He's being replaced by Ryan Yarbrough
This comes a couple of days after Team Canada had to make their own roster change
Yarbrough, who pitched for the Toronto Blue Jays in the second half of 2024 after being acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers, is a good fit for a tournament such as the WBC, as he has experience starting, relieving, and being a "bulk" guy. He is also a lefty.
Although he is joining team USA, he won't be immediately used. Instead, Yarbrough gets added to the designated pitcher pool and becomes available should Team USA advance past the pool stage.
In addition to his time with the Blue Jays and Dodgers, Yarbrough spent five seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays and was also a member of the Kansas City Royals in 2023.
Meanwhile Ryan's Minnesota Twins are hoping that the back injury isn't too serious and that their ace and 2025 All-Star can get back on the hill at least once more during Spring Training.
The 2026 edition of the World Baseball Classic, begins on Thursday, March 5th. Yarbrough's Team USA will enter the competition in Pool B, along with Brazil, Great Britain, Italy, and Mexico.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 2|64 ANSWERS Ex-Blue Jays pitcher added as a replacement to Team USA roster Is Ryan Yarbrough a good replacement for Team USA? | ||
| Yes | 40 | 62.5 % |
| No | 24 | 37.5 % |
| List of polls | ||