SURPRISE, Ariz. — Cal Quantrill knew the risks. It’s dicey for a non-roster invitee, competing for one of the last spots on the pitching staff, to leave spring training for even a day, let alone two weeks.
But the way Quantrill saw it, pitching for Team Canada in the WBC was about country first and career second. And when it was all said and done, he helped Canada advance farther than they did in the last WBC and may not have helped his chances to make the Rangers, but certainly didn’t hurt.
“I think everyone feels like those innings are just as valuable, if not more valuable, than what you’d be doing on a backfield or in a spring training game,” said Quantrill, who made 26 starts for Atlanta and Miami in 2025. “So, in terms of baseball, I think I’m as ready as I could have been, and probably further along than I would have been.”
In two outings for Canada, including winning a game over Cuba that pushed them to the quarterfinals, he allowed two runs (one earned) in seven innings with just four hits, a walk and five strikeouts. In two outings before he left for the WBC, Quantrill had allowed 12 hits and seven runs in four innings.
Rangers
He returned to camp on Monday and has one more outing before he can exercise an “out” in his contract if the Rangers aren’t going to add him to the roster.
“It’s such an exciting event, but it’s hard to evaluate,” manager Skip Schumaker said. “I watched the Cuba game and he was 93 [mph] to 96. He looked good. But what’s the buildup like? He’s going to throw here in a couple of days and we’d like to get him to about the 80 pitch mark and then evaluate again. He’s in the mix for all kinds of roles; we just haven’t decided anything yet. He’s part of the equation.”
So, too are Jacob Latz and Kumar Rocker, who had the competition. But veteran Austin Gomber, also a non-roster invitee, is also involved, Schumaker said.
It’s hard to see a clear route for Quantrill over the two young pitchers who each had shots at the rotation last year and have pitched well this spring, but the Rangers could place value on keeping him in the organization and manipulating the rotation with some early off days that might create a need for a swing type of pitcher who could start, but also relieve for multiple innings.
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