The man at the helm of Team Israel during next year's World Baseball Classic will be somebody that Texas Rangers fans will be plenty familiar with from his days leading the club to back-to-back World Series appearances in 2010 and 2011.
News today: Ian Kinsler, 4-time @MLB All-Star, named manager for Team Israel at 2023 @WBCBaseball. Kinsler represented Israel at the Tokyo Olympics after winning the '17 WBC with @USABaseball. @MLBNetwork
— Jon Morosi (@jonmorosi) June 29, 2022
Kinsler began his career in Texas in 2006 and stayed with the club through the 2013 season, making three All-Star teams and recording 1,145 hits, including 156 home runs. Kinsler was traded to the Detroit Tigers in November 2013 in exchange for All-Star first baseman Prince Fielder and cash and remained in the Motor City for four years, collecting his final All-Star honor and his first of two Gold Glove awards.
The recently-turned 40-year-old played his final two seasons between the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim, Boston Red Sox and San Diego Padres -- earning a 2018 World Series title with Boston -- before retiring following the 2019 campaign. Kinsler ended his career with 1,999 hits.
He is currently an advisor in the front office for the Padres. Kinsler obtained his Israeli citizenship in 2020.
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