The World Baseball Classic is fast approaching, and the Baltimore Orioles won’t be left out. Gunnar Henderson will represent the US, Tyler O’Neill the Canadian team, and Dean Kremer the Israeli team. But among these familiar names, another announcement carries a more understated significance — Rico Garcia has been called up to the Puerto Rico national team.
On paper, it’s just an add-on. In reality, for Garcia and the Orioles bullpen, this could be a turning point.
At 32, Rico Garcia isn’t a prospect, nor a star. In the 2025 season, he’ll have played for three teams — the Orioles, the Yankees, and the Mets — before settling in Baltimore. But in a bullpen ravaged by injuries and trades, Garcia has become an unexpected anchor. With the Orioles, he averaged 2.84 ERA in 20 appearances, consistent enough for the team to sign him to a one-year contract for 2026.
His overall statistics for the season are even more impressive: 3.15 ERA, 38 strikeouts, 1.19 WHIPs in 34.1 innings. Not flashy, not headline-worthy, but the kind of reliever teams need when a game starts to go off track.
And now, Garcia steps onto the WBC stage—where all eyes are on him.
For Puerto Rico, this is a prestigious league. For Garcia, this is the perfect audition. Because when he returns to Sarasota for Spring Training, he won’t be stepping into a bullpen with “already taken.” Instead, it will be an open competition.
The Orioles have bolstered their late game with Andrew Kittredge and Ryan Helsley, with Félix Bautista likely to miss much of the 2026 season. But behind those two names, things are far from over. Yennier Cano had a disappointing 2025 season. Albert Suárez is no guarantee. Keegan Akin, Dietrich Enns, Colin Selby — and even Tyler Wells — are all in a “possibly” state.
Add to that, Baltimore just traded Kade Strowd, a young reliever with a 1.71 ERA last season, for utility man Blaze Alexander. That move makes the bullpen landscape even more open — and creates even more space for those willing to seize the opportunity.
That’s why the WBC holds special significance for Garcia. Pitching against high-quality international lineups is not just an honor, but direct proof to the Orioles coaching staff that he can handle high pressure. Not in an exhibition game. Not in an empty bullpen. But when everything is being watched.
Garcia doesn’t need to become closer. He doesn’t need to dominate the headlines. He needs to prove himself reliable — just as he did at Camden Yards in the second half of last season.
In an unformed bullpen, sometimes it’s not reputation that matters, but timing. And Rico Garcia is having the best possible moment. If he capitalizes on the WBC, when he returns to Baltimore, the bullpen battle might not be the same as before.
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