Photo credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images
Jordan Romano skipping the World Baseball Classic hurts today but it opens the massive door for hungry new heroes to shine for Team Canada.
Acknowledging the deep pain of missing out on established names is completely natural for any incredibly passionate baseball supporter.
Seeing a massive list of our absolute brightest national stars decline their invitations definitely stings the soul of the country.
Guys like Nick Pivetta, Freddie Freeman, and Cade Smith officially decided to focus entirely on preparing for their upcoming regular seasons instead.
However, fans online seem to point out how disappointed they are that so many Canadian stars are not participating, including Romano.
Sparked something so great that Nick Pivetta, Cade Smith, Freddie Freeman, Matt Brash, Erik Sabrowski, Jordan Romano, and Jonah Tong all decided not to play!
Jordan Romano (Drafted 10th Round, 2014 by Toronto Blue Jays) is taking immense heat on social media for his difficult personal choice.
He posted a brutal 8.23 ERA with 47 strikeouts during a heavily disrupted and incredibly frustrating 2025 season playing in Philadelphia.
The national team possesses the exact gritty depth needed to win
Fans simply want to see their absolute best players proudly wearing the iconic red and white uniform on the massive global stage.
But forcing a veteran relief pitcher to throw high-stress innings while recovering his elite velocity is a terrible strategy for his career.
Romano recently signed a new contract with the Los Angeles Angels and desperately needs a fully healthy spring to reclaim his absolute dominance.
Exciting young arms like Jonah Tong and Erik Sabrowski are also protecting their professional futures by remaining incredibly cautious right now.
This supposed roster crisis is actually a brilliant hidden blessing that gives our rising minor league prospects a monumental and unforgettable platform.
We get to watch incredibly motivated young talents step up and proudly prove they belong against the absolute best international competition.
Having established stars like Josh Naylor and Tyler O'Neill ready to completely carry this squad brings a massive wave of confidence to everyone.
International tournaments are entirely about unpredictable magic and fierce underdogs finding a miraculous way to shock the entire world when it matters most.
We will aggressively rally behind the brave players who showed up and watch them build a legendary new baseball chapter in San Juan.
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| POLL | ||
MARS 6|192 ANSWERS Jordan Romano facing backlash online for Team Canada situation Will Team Canada advance past the first round of the World Baseball Classic? | ||
| Yes | 117 | 60.9 % |
| No | 75 | 39.1 % |
| List of polls | ||