"Canada National University, Not NC," Davison reported a hit against Toronto, saying, "As expected, Freeman's replacement is different'

*This content was translated by AI.

NC Dinos' flagship hitter Matt Davidson (35), who joined the Canadian national team as a substitute for Freddie Freeman (LA Dodgers), a former MVP of the Major League Baseball (MLB), showed off his good batting sense ahead of the main tournament.

Davison started as the seventh designated hitter against the Toronto Blue Jays at T.D. Ballpark in Dunedin, Florida on the 4th (Korea time) and scored one hit, one strikeout and one point in three at-bats.

Davison, who played a practice game against the San Diego Padres in Tucson, Arizona, on the 1st as a member of NC, later joined the Canadian national team training in Florida and played on the same day.

Davison, who struck out Kevin Gausman in the top of the second inning with three consecutive swings and misses, took the batter's box as the leadoff batter in the top of the fifth inning against the changed pitcher Mason Flugherty. Davison, who watched the ball go out the outside of the first and second pitches, watched the three-ball strike and swung the cutter at the top of the four-ball zone. At the ball count 2-2, the 91.3 mph (146.9 km) cutter flew out of the five pitches, but Davison pushed concisely to create a hit. The batting speed was 105.6 miles (169.9 kilometers) per hour.

In the sixth inning, he left a regret with a fly ball to center field against Tanner Andrews, but in the eighth inning with no outs, he got on base with a pitch hit by Gage Stenifer. Liam Hicks then headed to second base on a single and homered on Denzel Clark's double.

Davison's selection for the Canadian national team was hard to predict. It is the main first baseman of the strongest Dodgers in the universe and the star first baseman who won the National League MVP with a batting average of 0.341, 13 homers and 53 RBIs (on-base plus slugging) of 1.102 in the 60 game-shortened season in 2020.

However, ahead of this WBC, there was a gap as he was absent due to personal reasons, and Davidson filled the position. Davison was born in the U.S., but was eligible to play for the Canadian national team depending on his parents' nationality, allowing him to wear a Canadian uniform.

Davison's performance is not surprising. I also remember playing in the big leagues for six seasons and playing for the Chicago White Sox in 2017 and 2018, hitting 26 home runs and 20 home runs. From 2024, he played in the NC uniform and became the home run king with 46 home runs that year.

I have a unique sense of responsibility and pride in playing on behalf of my parents' country. Earlier, Davison said through NC, "I'm really happy to be selected for the national team first and play in a big tournament called WBC. I have always wanted to have a good relationship with my mother's country, Canada, and I have sincerely wanted to join the national team," he said.

He dreams of facing the Korean national team with teammates Kim Joo-won and Kim Young-kyu. To do so, both countries must head to the second round. Davison said, "If the day comes when we face South Korea in the WBC, that alone will be a really meaningful moment. If that moment comes, I think I will be able to play with excitement. "I really hope we can meet in the upper round," he said. "Juwon and Young-gyu, Dinos teammates, are really outstanding players, so I want to pick them as the most wary players in the Korean national team. "I am also happy to play with my former teammate Logan for the same Canadian national team as a friend," he said.

Canada, meanwhile, lost 7-10. Canada competes with Cuba, Puerto Rico, Panama and Colombia in Group A. A tough competition is expected in a situation where the second place in the group can head to the second round. Starting with the match against Colombia on the 8th, they will face Panama on the 9th, Puerto Rico on the 11th, and Cuba on the 12th.

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*This content was translated by AI.