World Baseball Classic Qualifier in Regensburg, Germany starts Friday
Major League Baseball (MLB) has invited the National Teams from Germany, Spain, Great Britain, France and South Africa to the Armin Wolf Arena in Regensburg, south eastern Germany, for the first of two qualifiers to the World Baseball Classic 2023. The double-elimination tournament opens on Friday, 16 September, and will qualify two teams.
On day one World No. 26 South Africa and No. 19 Spain open the tournament. The winner will face No. 14 Czechia, the top-seeded competing National Team, on Saturday afternoon.
The second game on Friday night is between No. 23 Great Britain and No. 22 France. The winner will face No. 14 Germany on Saturday evening.
On Sunday the four losers of the first two days will face elimination. Monday is a rest day.
On Tuesday and Wednesday the four remaining teams will compete for the two tickets to the World Baseball Classic 2023.
MLB recently revealed the six rosters, which feature a number of marquee players.
Germany has former major leaguers Bruce Maxwell, Aaron Altherr, Nick Wittgren and Brian Flynn. France's manager is legendary Bruce Bochy, who won multiple MLB World Series titles.
Michael Roth and Vance Worley highlight Great Britain's roster while Gift Ngoepe, the first African-born player to reach the Major Leagues, will represent South Africa. Spain's Engel Beltre has also spent time in the Big Leagues.
The Armin-Wolf-Baseball-Arena, home to the Guggenberger Legionaere Regensburg of the German Bundes Liga, will host a World Baseball Classic Qualifier for the second time after 2012.
The facility saw significant upgrades throughout the last decade, with the previous steps finished right in time for the 2022 Qualifier. The finishing touches were an additional building with renovated first base dugouts and clubhouses, as well as upgraded floodlights and a video wall. The Armin Wolf Arena is one of the premium ballparks in European baseball.
The games will be available live on the World Baseball Classic YouTube channel, MLB TV and MLB’s Facebook page. Multiple broadcasting deals are in the process of being finalized across Europe.
For more information, visit the World Baseball Classic official website.
Photo by Guggenberger Legionaere Regensburg