The 2017 World Baseball Classic was a tremendous success, with several games providing plenty of excitement and action, and the tournament drawing over 1 million in attendance for the first time.
The WBC winded down to the final four teams at Dodger Stadium in semifinalists Puerto Rico, Netherlands, Japan and United States. Puerto Rico may have been the surprise of the tournament, considering they went 6-0 during pool play, having defeated the likes of the Dominican Republic, United States and Venezuela.
Puerto Rico defeated Netherlands to remain undefeated and reach the final, but fell to the United States on Wednesday. Puerto Rico lost to the Dominican in the 2009 World Baseball Classic championship game at AT&T Park.
It’s possible this year could mark the final time Puerto Rico fields its own team for the WBC. In June, Puerto Ricans will vote on whether to become the 51st state of the United States, which in turn subject to approval by Congress.
Los Angeles Dodgers utility man Kiké Hernandez, currently playing for Puerto Rico in the WBC, hopes that Puerto Rico will still be able to compete as its own nation in the future, via Bill Shaikin of the L.A. Times:
“That’s a debate that’s been going on: if Puerto Rico becomes a state, do we still get Olympic teams? Do we still get national teams?” Hernandez said.
“We love representing our country and whatever happens in the future, if we become a state or not, I hope we’re allowed to represent our little island.”
Should Puerto Rico be added to the Union, their players may then need to compete for the United States in both the WBC and Olympics.
As it currently stands Puerto Rico is a territory of the United States. Puerto Ricans are considered U.S. citizens, have their own flag and national anthem, and they are not given the right to vote in the U.S.
