Mexico finished Group C of the World Baseball Classic with three straight wins, clinching first place and a spot in the quarterfinals with Wednesday afternoon’s 10-3 win over Canada at Chase Field.
Randy Arozarena, a native of Cuba who became a Mexican citizen last year after having been in the country since 2015, cleared the bases with a double in the top of the sixth inning for the big hit of the game, and drove in five runs total for the game.
Mexico defeated the U.S. 11-5, Great Britain 2-1 and Canada after a frustrating 10-inning loss to Colombia on Saturday. Mexico will play the winner of the Dominican Republic-Puerto Rico game in Miami later Wednesday to determine its next opponent on Saturday.
Arozarena explodes
The only team to shut down Arozarena was Great Britain. But he left Phoenix going 7 for 14 with a team high nine runs batted in. Arozarena also scored six runs and hit five doubles.
In doing all of that, the Tampa Bay Rays outfielder became a fan favorite over the four Mexico games at Chase Field. Arozarena embraced the love from the fans, basking in their cheers when he took his position in left field, sporting a silver lucha libre mask before the Great Britain game, folding his arms triumphantly after big hits when standing on base and even signing autographs for fans in left field in the middle of the seventh inning.
“Randy! Randy! Randy!” chants were as common as “Mexico! Mexico! Mexico!” chants from the partisan Mexican crowd.
Arozarena was also hit by two pitches, but the incidents did not spark a repeat of the infamous 2013 brawl between Mexico and Canada at Chase Field during the WBC that year.
Rowdy’s road to Team Mexico
Mexico’s Rowdy Tellez considered three national teams for the World Baseball Classic, years after being told by the Toronto Blue Jays organization that he could not take part in the 2017 World Baseball Classic.
Mexico was the first to approach him in 2017 and continued the conversation for the next scheduled WBC which was ultimately canceled due to COVID-19. When it came time to put together teams for the 2023 tournament, Tellez, now with the Milwaukee Brewers, was considering the United States, Mexico due to his father’s heritage and Israel from his mother’s Jewish side.
“USA told me I wasn’t good enough,” the Sacramento, Calif. native said.
“So I really wanted to play for Mexico. It’s kind of like the heritage I grew up with. Grew up with my dad’s family. It’s really special to be a part of Team Mexico. That’s where I wanted to play,” Tellez said before Wednesday’s game. “Obviously being here and seeing the environment that we have is really special. It means a lot to me. Really honored to wear the ‘M’ on my chest and play for the country that my family is from.”
Mexico manager Benji Gil said the process of getting Tellez onto the roster wasn’t an easy one despite all sides being in agreement.
“But he was forthcoming in every way, you know, and helpful in any way that he can help anytime we needed something from him. He was there more than willing,” Gil said. “And his excitement, it seemed like the closer we got, the bigger it came for him.”
Tellez’s Brewers and Mexico teammate, Luis Urías, helped convince Tellez to join Mexico. Urías would have conversations with Tellez about the WBC and the team from time to time in clubhouses.
“It’s been exactly what he’s said. He’s been spot on with saying how prideful the Mexican culture is, how exciting it is and how much of an honor it is to represent your country,” Tellez said of Urías.
More:How Mexico defeated Great Britain in a tight World Baseball Classic game
Freeman misses game
Canada’s Freddie Freeman, a star with the Los Angeles Dodgers and one of Canada’s few major leaguers, was not with the team Wednesday morning.
Canada manager Ernie Whitt said the Dodgers decided to bring Freeman to their spring training facility to be examined by team doctors after Freeman tweaked a hamstring in Canada’s win over Colombia on Tuesday.
“It’s less complicated not having to face a bat of his quality. So I hope he recuperates fast, heals fast,” Gil said before the game. “He’s a big piece for the Dodgers, that are a very important team in our sport.”
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Canada goes 2-2
Team Canada will wait for the result of the U.S.-Colombia game later Wednesday to see if it could advance to the quarterfinals. The team has yet to advance past the opening round in any WBC, and is 7-11 overall.
Everybody plays
When Roberto Valenzuela entered Wednesday’s game as pinch hitter in the eighth inning, Mexico was able to use its entire roster over the four games in Phoenix. Valenzuela finished the game at second base.
Mexico advanced to the second round of the WBC for the first time since 2009 and the third time in its tournament history. It improved to 10-11 all-time in the WBC. The players and coaches saluted the crowd of 17,245.