Bruce Chen will reportedly switch allegiances during the 2013 World Baseball Classic. Chen pitched for Panama during the 2006 and 2009 edition of the tournament. He was born and raised there.
However, Chen has Chinese heritage and will pitch for China this spring. The Royals have not confirmed his intentions.
Chen, 35, was 11-14 last season in Kansas City with a 5.07 ERA in 34 starts. Over his 14 years pitching in the Major Leagues, Chen has pitched for 10 different teams compiling a 71-72 record.
Panama is win-less in its previous two WBCs. They failed to qualify for the 2013 edition losing to Brazil in the qualifier.
Chen will turn 36 in June and with the next WBC not taking place until 2017, this might be the last chance he has to pitch for the homeland of his grandparents.
China finished 15th in the inaugural WBC and 11th in 2009.
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Eric Bynum is Managing Editor here at Baseball de World and an ESL teacher in South Korea. He has played and/or written about baseball for the past 30 years and is an avid Atlanta Braves fan. Eric also writes for Braves Baseball World and for Call to the Pen.
