Philadelphia Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs has been removed from Team Israel’s World Baseball Classic roster, according to Noah Berger of Fish Stripes.
Team Israel confirmed the news on their official Twitter page. Interestingly, Stubbs will be replaced by his younger brother C.J., who is currently a catcher in the minor league system of the Houston Astros.
It’s a blow for Team Israel, as Stubbs had delivered a game-winning ground rule double that scored two in a 3-1 Sunday over Nicaragua:
Team Israel is currently 1-1 in WBC play, with a matchup against the Dominican Republic looming this evening at 7 p.m. ET.
Stubbs wasn’t in the lineup Monday for Team Israel in a 10-0 loss against Puerto Rico in which no runners reached base before the mercy rule was invoked after eight innings.
According to Team Israel, Stubbs “woke up yesterday with a sore knee and is heading back to camp with the Phillies for an MRI and further evaluation.” The tweet lists Stubbs as day-to-day currently, though the Phillies have yet to issue an official update on his status.
After being acquired from the Astros, Stubbs became an important clubhouse presence for the Phillies in 2022, while also slashing .264/.350/.462 as J.T. Realmuto’s backup.