Former Seattle Mariners pitcher and current Seattle Mariners broadcaster Ryan Rowland-Smith announced on Sunday that he will be part of the broadcast team for the World Baseball Classic, which begins in March of 2026.

Rowland-Smith, who played for his native Australia in the WBC, posted a picture of himself at the 2017 event on social media, saying:

This was the last time I took the mound in a game. It was the 2017 WBC in Tokyo. Was bitter sweet, but honored to be a part of the best tournament on the planet this March! Excited to announce I'll be on the call for the 2026 @WBCBaseball.

Rowland-Smith has been a fixture on the international baseball broadcast scene, even predating his role as a color analyst for the Mariners. He took on that role full-time in 2025 as the M's did some broadcast restructuring after Dave Sims left for the radio job with the New York Yankees.

It's unclear which rounds of the WBC he will call - and in which locations.

About Rowland-Smith

Now 42 years old, "Hyphen" spent parts of five years with the Mariners and Arizona Diamondbacks as a player, going 12-17 with a 4.57 ERA. He won five games for the M's in both 2008 and 2009. 

As a broadcaster, he's a favorite among M's fans, pairing with the likes of Aaron Goldsmith, Gary Hill and Rick Rizzs on both television and radio.

Which other M's connections will go to the WBC?

As of now, left fielder Randy Arozarena has confirmed his participation for Mexico while center fielder Julio Rodriguez has confirmed his participation for the Dominican Republic.

Cal Raleigh is set to play for the United States and Matt Brash and Josh Naylor will both play for Team Canada. Multiple other M's are expected to play, including Eduard Bazardo (Venezuela), Andres Munoz (Mexico) and prospect Michael Arroyo (Colombia).

Beyond that, it's possible that prospect Jurrangelo Cijntje plays for the Netherlands. Former Mariners pitcher James Paxton, who recently retired, will also play for Canada.

About the WBC

Launched in 2006, the event has helped grow the game internationally.

Japan has won the event three times (2006, 2009, 2023), while the Dominican Republic won in 2013 and the United States won in 2017.

Also need to know

Because the tournament takes place in March, each of these players (and Rowland-Smith), will be departing Mariners spring training for a period of 2-3 weeks. This will leave a hole in the M's clubhouse and Cactus League lineups, but will provide opportunity for other players.

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