Detroit Tigers talk about Cris Rodriguez in 2025 international class
Detroit Tigers executives Miguel Garcia and Rob Metzler talk to reporters January 15, 2025, about signing top international prospect Cris Rodriguez.
ORLANDO, FL — The Detroit Tigers are leaving the United States.
The Tigers will play two exhibition games March 3-4 against Team Dominican Republic at Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal in Santo Domingo ahead of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, announced Monday, Dec. 8, by MLB commissioner Rob Manfred at the Winter Meetings.
The WBC runs from March 4-17.
“When we first heard about this opportunity, it was an instant yes for us,” Tigers president of baseball operations Scott Harris said. “The opportunity to go to the Dominican, play on Dominican soil and support a great cause all at the same time, it was a no-brainer for us.”
Nelson Cruz, a 19-year MLB slugger, is the general manager of the Dominican Republic squad. The manager is 22-year MLB legend Albert Pujols, a three-time National League MVP and an 11-time All-Star.
The Dominican Republic won the WBC in 2013.
MLB will make a donation to the Dominican Red Cross, with the two exhibition games played in memory of the victims from the Jet Set nightclub tragedy in April 2025, when a roof collapsed and killed 235 people, including 15-year MLB reliever Octavio Dotel.
“We really thank everybody involved for inviting us and allowing us to participate,” Harris said, “and it sounds like we got our work cut out for us, so we’re going to start preparing right now.”
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Initially, the Tigers’ spring training schedule featured an off day on March 3, a pre-WBC exhibition against Team Panama on March 4 at Joker Marchant Stadium in Lakeland, Florida, and an off day on March 5.
Here’s the updated schedule: The Tigers will face Team Dominican Republic on March 3-4 in Santo Domingo and Team Panama on March 4 in Lakeland, meaning the Tigers will field a split squad on March 4. A group of players will travel to Santo Domingo, and another group of players will stay back in Lakeland.
A.J. Hinch will manage the Tigers in the Dominican Republic.
“We’ll see where it lands,” Hinch said, when asked about the players who will travel to the Dominican. “The pitching will be the biggest question. But we’ll have probably a slightly more aggressive road trip, but we also have Panama at home.”
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Spring training for the Tigers has increased from 29 to 31 games with the addition of the two exhibition games against the Dominican Republic. The preseason schedule starts Feb. 21 with the New York Yankees in Tampa and ends March 24 with the Colorado Rockies in Scottsdale, Arizona.
Opening Day is March 26 against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park in San Diego.
“The Dominican Republic has a rich history of baseball talent,” Harris said. “My job is trying to find talent wherever we can. The opportunity to play in front of Dominican fans, I understand we’re not going to be the most popular team on the field, but the opportunity to showcase our talent on Dominican soil in front of Dominican fans, I think, raises the overall brand and profile of the Detroit Tigers.”
Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.
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