Team USA is set to play its first WBC game on Saturday.
They’ll face off against Great Britain and will send Adam Wainwright to the mound.
Nick Martinez is set to pitch on Sunday against Team Mexico.
The San Diego Padres right-hander is representing Team USA for the first time in his career and is going to be a key member of the team’s starting rotation.
Martinez takes pride in being able to represent the American National Team and is looking forward to the opportunity.
On Thursday, the veteran right-hander spoke to Jon Morosi of MLB Network to express his excitement to be a part of the team.
"Given my family's history, coming to this country looking for opportunity… having their son represent this country is an honor for us." 🇺🇸@Padres pitcher Nick Martinez talks about playing with pride and honor for @USABaseball.#WorldBaseballClassic | @WBCBaseball pic.twitter.com/toaTw4Zyre
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 10, 2023
Martinez reflected on his MLB journey.
After beginning his career with the Texas Rangers, he went to Japan for a few years.
Ultimately, he returned to the United States in 2022 after signing with the Padres.
He says it’s been a long road full of twists and turns, but that he’s excited to be in this position now and is taking the opportunity to soak everything in.
Martinez also talked about what it means to him to wear the Team USA uniform.
He said that his family’s history and the opportunity to come to the United States is something he takes a lot of pride in.
He also feels proud that he can not only represent his country, but also his family, and hopes that he can make them proud during the WBC.
Martinez will share the rotation with Wainwright, Lance Lynn, Merrill Kelly, Kyle Freeland, Brady Singer, and Miles Mikolas.
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