The coronavirus suspended any chance of baseball in the near future, but Major League Baseball stars are already looking toward games in 2021.
During a flurry of online activity Thursday, New York Mets pitcher Marcus Stroman sparked a conversation online about Team USA in the 2021 World Baseball Classic, calling out prominent American baseball stars on Twitter in hopes of creating a WBC "Dream Team."
Upon hearing the call, several prominent players, including Trevor Bauer, Walker Buehler, Eric Hosmer, Christian Yelich, Pete Alonso, Mike Clevinger, Nolan Arenado and Blake Snell, all committed online to playing in the event.
Stroman led the charge in recruiting, first asking Hosmer and Yelich on Instagram if they wanted to run things after the trio each played parts in the 2017 WBC championship team.
.@STR0, @TheRealHos305 and @ChristianYelich are ready to suit up for a @USABaseball repeat π
β MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) March 19, 2020
Who else is in? #ForGlory πΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/shMzZEtUhA
Champ champs. Can't wait to defend that title! π₯ @USABaseball @ChrisArcher22 @SimplyAJ10 pic.twitter.com/me07FgSRlw
β Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
After the back and forth on Instagram, Stroman went to Twitter to ask Mike Trout, Mookie Betts, Cody Bellinger, Trevor Story, Aaron Judge, Jeff McNeil and Bo Bichette if they would play for Team USA. And soon the responses came rolling in.
Let's gett it!! https://t.co/i4gmCkm7fn
β Cody Bellinger (@Cody_Bellinger) March 19, 2020
ππ»ββοΈ
β Walker Buehler (@buehlersdayoff) March 19, 2020
In a heartbeat
β Trevor Story (@Tstory2) March 19, 2020
β Whit Merrifield (@WhitMerrifield) March 19, 2020
@JoeyGallo24 2011 repeat? πΊπΈπ #worldchamps
β David Dahl (@ddahl21) March 19, 2020
Yes sir! We need to make it happen!ππΌπΊπΈ
β Joey Gallo (@JoeyGallo24) March 19, 2020
πππΌπ₯ #ForGloryπΊπΈ pic.twitter.com/SZs3jJNfQt
β USA Baseball (@USABaseball) March 19, 2020
With commitments from Clevinger and Arenado, Stroman dropped the "Dream Team" title on the still very hypothetical group.
My dawgs @Mike_Anthony13 and Arenado just hit me and said they're in too. Dream Team coming soon! @USABaseball
β Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
https://t.co/6hwUgDpNub pic.twitter.com/xIjV202Cqe
β β Mike ππβπβπβπΌ Clevinger β (@Mike_Anthony13) March 19, 2020
I'm 10000000% in https://t.co/GinpnHV7c3
β Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) March 19, 2020
What I gotta do to play for team USA!?!? πΊπΈ
β Blake Snell (@snellzilla4) March 19, 2020
Alonso, the Mets first baseman, said he might cry if he was named to Team USA.
If @USABaseball named me to the national team, I might cry. I tried out for the 18u team a while back and didn't make it. It would be an honor to put the red, white, and blue on and rep the Stars and Stripes
β Pete Alonso (@Pete_Alonso20) March 19, 2020
It's only a matter of time young legend. Oh, come over and bring some of that fresh game meat for a nice home cooked meal. I'm back at the crib!
β Marcus Stroman (@STR0) March 19, 2020
I tried out for 3 years before I finally made the collegiate team. Nothing like wearing USA across your chest. I'd drop just about anything to do it again https://t.co/I2xovpQS98
β Trevor Bauer (@BauerOutage) March 19, 2020
Stroman, who posted a 3.22 ERA in 32 starts between the Blue Jays and the Mets in 2019, played a major role in Team USA winning gold in America's only WBC title, taking a no-hitter into the seventh inning against a previously undefeated Puerto Rico team in the championship game, allowing just one hit and one walk in six innings of work en route to an 8-0 American victory.
That championship team featured stars such as Arenado, Buster Posey, Alex Bregman, Giancarlo Stanton and Paul Goldschmidt.
The 2021 World Baseball Classic is scheduled to take place next March 9-23, with the field of teams expanding from 16 to 20. Games are set to be held in Taiwan, Japan and the United States.