The San Diego Padres contain two superstars from the Dominican Republic, future Hall of Famer Manny Machado and superstar outfielder Fernando Tatis Jr. Both are with the Dominican Republic team in Florida for the World Baseball Classic, which begins on March 5.
The Dominican team will play two exhibition games against the Detroit Tigers on Tuesday and Wednesday. Then, will take on Nicaragua on Friday for their opening game of the WBC.
Tatis Jr. will be making his WBC debut, as he did not play in 2023. Playing in an atmosphere like the WBC is what Tatis was put on this earth to do. He has thrived playing in the Dominican Republic in the past for his father's team, helping win a winter league championship.
The Latin community brings a whole different vibe to the game of baseball. American fans get loud and bring a ton of energy, but the “Latin flavor” entails dancing, drumming, and more cultural features. Pride is everything for that community, and Tatis Jr. recently said how blessed he is to be from the small island of Domican Republic.
In a recent interview for MLB, Tatis Jr. sent a confident message about what to expect from him in the WBC.
“It’s what I’m built for,” Tatis said last Friday before leaving for WBC camp.
“It’s a dream come true, it’s what I wanted as a kid. Being able to do it now, at this stage of my life and my career, it’s a special moment.”
Tatis Jr. was asked about the defending champions, Team Japan, and had this to say about them.
“They’re nasty,” Tatis said. “But we’re gonna beat them.”
