Preview: Baseball Heavyweights Mexico and Venezuela close out Day 1 at WBSC Premier12 2024
Day one at the WBSC Premier12 2024 presented by RAXUS ends with the debut of hosts Mexico squaring off with Venezuela at 8pm local time at Estadio Panamericano Charros de Jalisco in Guadalajara, Mexico.
Twointernational baseball experienced starting pitchers have been announced to leadtheir teams onto the field. Mexico’s manager Benjamin Gil has chosen left-handerManny Bañuelos, while Venezuela’s Omar Flores has selected right-hander RicardoPinto. Both have track records not only in Major League Baseball, but in otherprofessional leagues from around the world as well.
33-year-old
Bañuelos signed as an amateur free agent in 2008 with the New York Yankees andmade his MLB debut in 2015 with the Atlanta Braves. After amassing an ERA of 5.64through 58 MLB appearances with 105 strikeouts and 66 walks in 118 inningspitched, he brought his services to Asia, where he had one stint in NPB inJapan (with Tohoku Rakuten Golden Eagles) and two in the CPBL in Taiwan (FubonGuardians, Rakuten Monkeys). In 2024 he played for the Rakuten Monkeys compilinga 9-4 record with an ERA of 4.15 in 15 starts before being released andbecoming a free agent this August.
Pinto is a30-year-old who signed with the Philadelphia Phillies as an amateur free agentin 2011. He made his professional debut in 2012 and became the Phillies MinorLeague Pitcher of the Year in 2015. He made his MLB debut with Philadelphia in2017. Through three different stints with the Phillies and the Tampa Bay Rays hepitched to an ERA of 9.07 in 33 MLB games in 2017, 2019 and 2024. In between healso played for SK Wyverns in the KBO in Korea and the Rakuten Monkeys in the CPBLin Taiwan. Besides six games in the big leagues he made 16 appearances inTriple-A for the Phillies organization in 2024 with 48 strikeouts and 33 baseon balls in 67 innings pitched.
Both teamsare participating for the third time in the WBSC Premier12. Mexico, the currentnumber two in the KONAMI/WBSC Men’s Baseball World Ranking, has finished 4thin 2015 and 3rd place in 2019. Venezuela is currently in fourth inthe World Ranking, while they ended up in 9th place in 2015 and in 7thin 2019. Both teams squared off in the Opening Round of the WBSC Premier12 in2015 with Mexico prevailing 6-4. Since 2011 they have faced each other 20 timesin WBSC competitions with Mexico winning eleven games opposed to nine byVenezuela.