Rockies’ Kyle Freeland using World Baseball Classic to learn from All-Star peers

Mar. 15—PHOENIX — Kyle Freeland was all adrenaline when he took the mound for Team USA on Saturday night in the first game of the World Baseball Classic.

He hadn’t experienced something like that since 2018, the last time the Rockies made the playoffs. With each strikeout his strut got fiercer, feeling the energy racing through his body. He pitched three innings out of the bullpen, striking out three and giving up one run.

Freeland didn’t fall asleep until 2 a.m. that night, still so amped from his first time wearing “USA” on his chest.

“It was so much fun getting that feeling back and being in a playoff environment in the beginning of March,” Freeland told the Gazette from the visitors’ dugout at Chase Field on Wednesday. “It was just an incredible feeling to get that feeling again. Obviously, that’s what we are chasing with the Rockies, but right now, with Team USA, I couldn’t be having more fun.”

For Freeland and Rockies’ closer Daniel Bard, this journey is just getting started. Team USA, the reigning WBC Champions, defeated Colombia 3-2 on Wednesday to advance to the quarterfinals. Freeland was not used in the game on Wednesday, but Bard pitched a clean fifth inning for Team USA, ending his outing with a strikeout.