With a handful of White Sox players bound for the World Baseball Classic, Chicago will be well represented on the international stage this March.
Chicago White Sox fans might have yet another reason to stay locked in when the World Baseball Classic begins this March.
The WBC is must-watch television for any baseball fan and serves as the perfect tune-up ahead of the 2026 regular season. For White Sox fans in particular, it offers an added layer of intrigue, with current players, former fan favorites, and key pieces of the rebuild potentially spread across several rosters.
One of the most surprising names tied to the tournament is former White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramírez. Now 44 years old, Ramírez last appeared in an MLB game in 2016 and last played professionally in 2018 in the Mexican League. And yet, he’s on Team Cuba’s roster and is expected to participate in the WBC for the second time in his career.
Ramírez last played in the World Baseball Classic back in 2006. Seeing him return to the diamond to compete against some of the best players in the world will be a nostalgic moment that many White Sox fans won’t want to miss.
Luis Robert Jr. is also a potential option for Team Cuba, though he has not been officially announced and has declined invitations in the past. If he does choose to participate, it would add even more star power — and White Sox intrigue — to the Cuban roster.
If you ask White Sox fans what they’re most excited about heading into 2026, many would point to the arrival of Munetaka Murakami. The slugging Japanese first baseman was a superstar in NPB and has the talent to become one in MLB as well. Still, how his game translates against major league pitching remains one of the biggest mysteries of the upcoming season.
The World Baseball Classic will offer an early glimpse, as fans anxiously watch Murakami square off against MLB arms on a global stage.
Curtis Mead is also set to participate as a member of Team Australia and Lenyn Sosa remains firmly in the mix to be on the roster for Team Venezuela.
And there could be one more reason to tune in. Catcher Kyle Teel is surprisingly being considered for Team Italy. While Teel was born and raised in New Jersey, his Italian heritage makes him eligible to represent the country.
The 23-year-old batted .273 with eight home runs and a .786 OPS as a rookie, establishing himself as one of the best young catchers in the game and a foundational piece of the White Sox rebuild.
A chance to compete on the world stage would be valuable experience — and another compelling storyline for Sox fans to follow this March.