Could World Baseball Classic cost Cal Quantrill a Rangers Opening Day spot?

Nearly two weeks ago, right-hander Cal Quantrill signed a minor league deal with the Texas Rangers hoping to earn an Opening Day roster spot come the end of March. Now, the 30-year-old Ontario native will also represent Team Canada in the World Baseball Classic.

While it's seen as an honor to represent your home country in any international sporting event, especially the WBC which occurs every four years. It's not without its potential consequences.

For everyday players, it's the thought of getting hurt and missing a signifcant portion of the MLB season. But players like Quantrill, who are not guaranteed a roster spot, it could put them in jeopardy by missing valuable time to impress your new team.

How does Quantrill's WBC choice impact career with Rangers?

It's hard to tell because there's a good chance Quantrill goes into the WBC and pitches lights out for a few games during the tournament, given the Rangers all they need to see for a spot on the Opening Day roster.

This also hurts because what if he performs poorly or only gets a handful of innings in the tournament and isn't as fresh as he would be if he was given the full spring schedule to ramp into regular season mode.

Quantrill is probably better off pitching in the WBC over spring camp with Texas. There's no doubt the big league team he's auditioning to be a part of will be eyeing his appearances closely.

Canada is not a favorite to win the championship, with a 35:1 chance of winning the title. Leading the pack with odds +1300 odds or better is USA, Japan, Dominican Republic and Puerto Rico. The latter is the favorite to win Pool A, which includes Quantrill's Team Canada.

Odds Quantrill makes Rangers' Opening Day roster are slim

Searching for a bounce back, Quantrill split the 2025 season between the Atlanta Braves and Miami Marlins. He compiled a 4-12 record with a 6.07 ERA, 85 strikeouts and a 1.45 WHIP in just 117 innings of work.

He's had a rough go of over the last couple of seasons, with his lowest ERA coming in at 4.98 in 2024. It's a steep dive from the 3.38 ERA he recorded during 32 starts with the Guardians during the 2022 season.

With the starting rotation mostly fixed and Quantrill not really in the running for the final spot, he could make a run at the bullpen. Texas is also attempting a full bullpen rebuild but signed a lot of relievers this offseason that will give Quantrill a run for his money.