WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL C - MEXICO VS CANADA

March 15, 2023

Benji Gil

Chase Field

Team Mexico

Postgame Press Conference

Mexico - 10, Canada - 3

Q. It's been 14 years since Mexico advanced to the next round in the World Baseball Classic. How do you feel about this triumph? Obviously it is not the most that you aspire, but just simply to give the step that the last two editions, we were not able to accomplish. How do you feel for the team right now?

BENJI GIL: We are very happy what we have accomplished so far, but I'm not done yet. I'm not satisfied yet. We did the first step. We still need four more steps, three more steps.

And we are focused. We know who are possible rivals. It's whoever wins between the Dominicans and Puerto Rico. Whoever wins, it's a great rival, a good team and we are already preparing, studying each of the teams, either it's one or the other.

Before leaving today we'll know who is the rival. And I hope there's Wi-Fi on the airplane so I can start studying them.

Q. Is there still the intention, once you said we're going to start with Julio Urias in the next round? Is there any restriction in the second round by the Dodgers part?

BENJI GIL: I want to clarify something about with the Dodgers thing. Yes, Julio is going to start. I still don't want to give information that is not correct. So there's going to be a conversation with the Dodgers to clarify so we're on the same page.

How many pitches they're willing for him to throw, and also we will adjust with that. And at the end of the day, the other day he threw 62 pitches in five innings. Maybe it's something similar. Obviously we will try to win but we're not going to try to jeopardize one of the best baseball players.

Q. This team, great pitching today, great hitting with clutch players, great defense. I think this is basically what Mexico is and this will be the same thing for the next game.

BENJI GIL: Yes, we have the capacity to keep on playing, showing that type of game, an excellent game by Jose Urquidy. He didn't start the best but they only scored once in that inning. It was very good for us. He's ready to fight, like you said. He didn't lower his head, and he gave us great four more innings of great quality.

And after starting off a little bit weak, but then the boys came after. Adrian Martinez, he did a magnificent job. He maintained Team Canada without being able to score and also helped us open the game a little bit more since we scored more.

Reyes also threw very good. Sanchez threw very well. The out was very important. Maybe it didn't seem like it signified a lot. But Cesar, it was very important out since he stopped the attack that Canada was having.

Q. Did you start analyzing the other team, especially the Pool B team, Japan? And your boy, Shohei, for the Angels has been dominating. Any message for him?

BENJI GIL: Yeah, we're well aware. We're going to have some days, if the U.S. wins, we play Friday. So it will be a little less time. If Colombia wins, then we don't play until Saturday, so we'll have more time to study our opponent for this game.

And we'll begin to dig in a little bit of information into the Japanese team who might be our rival in the semifinals, just because we'll begin to dig in without looking past whoever we're playing just because there's a little bit less information on them.

So it won't be because we're looking past anybody. We're taking it step by step, day by day, opponent by opponent. And like I said in other interviews, the most important game we have right now is going to be our rival, Puerto Rico, or Dominican, whoever wins tonight's game.