When the World Baseball Classic kicks off on March 5th, most MLB teams will still be grappling with spring practice sessions and experimental lineups. The Milwaukee Brewers, however, will enter that phase facing a very different reality: a shortage of players—and they’ve fully accepted it.
The Brewers’ WBC commitments are rapidly increasing. Jackson Chourio has officially joined Team Venezuela. Brice Turang is with Team USA. Tyler Black is heading to Team Canada. Carlos Rodriguez represents Nicaragua. And with the roster deadline approaching, that number is almost certain to continue rising.
This, viewed from another perspective, isn’t a risk. It’s a reflection of reality.
Most recently, the Brewers confirmed that shortstop Joey Ortiz will play for Team Mexico at WBC 2026. A quiet announcement, but one with significant implications. Ortiz will join a Mexican roster already featuring familiar faces to Milwaukee fans like Rowdy Tellez and Luis Urías. If everything falls into place, three-quarters of Mexico’s infield could very well embody the “Brewers spirit”—even more interesting if Ramón Urís were to appear at second base.
But the story isn’t just about the jersey.
For Joey Ortiz, the WBC arrives at a sensitive time. His 2025 MLB season didn’t go as expected, especially offensively. His inconsistent swings, his quiet streaks—enough to raise questions. The Brewers aren’t. At least not yet.
Letting Ortiz join the WBC isn’t about “throwing him into the fire” to test him. It’s more of a softer test. A truly competitive environment, with real pressure, but not constrained by the rhythm of 162 games. The Brewers understand that they can’t—and shouldn’t—draw big conclusions from a few international games. But they also understand that moments like these can say a lot about a player’s mental state.
And that’s the key point.
The Brewers aren’t just sending their best players to international competition. They’re sending players who need rhythm, confidence, and a sense of belonging on the big stage. For Chourio, it’s his WBC debut at a very young age. For Turang and Black, it’s an expansion of their roles. For Ortiz, it’s a chance to reinvent his own story.
Of course, the price is that spring training will look… less demanding. Exhibition games in Arizona will be missing many familiar names. Internal training sessions will have to be more rotational. But a team only fears that when they don’t believe in their depth.
The Brewers don’t seem to be like that.
When an organization is willing to let many key players leave training camp at the same time, it usually says two things: belief in the current roster — and confidence that they don’t need to “polish” too much in March. They know who they are. And they know the season doesn’t really begin until April.
For Brewers fans, the WBC becomes a welcome wait. 55 days before Opening Day, there’s still baseball with competitive meaning. And when you watch Team Venezuela, Team USA, Team Canada, or Team Mexico, chances are you’re still… watching the Brewers in a different form.
The remaining question isn’t how short-handed the Brewers will be during spring training. Rather, it’s: after the WBC, how many of those players will return with a bigger role than when they left?
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