Baseball

From Little League to Team Israel: Baseball takes root across the Holy Land

The number of teams and players gathered in Tel Aviv on that sunny Friday was a testament to just how far baseball has come in Israel. It was not always this way.

|ByHOWARD BLAS
Young Israeli baseball players take part in a practice session as the sport continues to grow, with youth programs expanding into communities across the country.
Demonstrators gather near a barricade they created during a protest against a U.S.-backed Ebola quarantine plan on the establishment of a 50-bed facility at a Kenyan air force base that was intended to host Americans exposed to Ebola, in Nanyuki town, in Laikipia County, Kenya June 1, 2026.

Kenyan police fire tear gas during protest against US Ebola quarantine facility

Two people were killed in protests last week in Nanyuki, and the US continues its activities defying Kenyan court orders.

|ByREUTERS
Mar 28, 2019; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics and Los Angeles Angels players line up before the game at Oakland Coliseum

Your Investments: Opening day, leaving Egyptian exodus with great wealth, and financial optimism

When the Israelites left Egypt, they carried more than gold and silver. They carried a new financial reality. After generations of limitations, they stepped into a future where growth was possible.

|ByAARON KATSMAN
Israeli pitcher-catcher duo, Ben Simons and C.J. Stubbs.

Israel closes out WBC campaign with statement victory over Netherlands

With the victory, Israel improved its record to a very respectable 2–2 and took sole possession ahead of the Dutch of third place in Pool D.

|ByDANNY GROSSMAN

Israel blanks Nicaragua behind dominant pitching for key World Baseball Classic win

Dean Kremer took charge on the mound, while Noah Mendlinger powered the offense in Israel’s 5-0 victory over Nicaragua in a World Baseball Classic result that clinched Israel's 2029 WBC position.

MARCH 9, 2026ByDANNY GROSSMAN
DEAN KREMER took charge on the mound, while Noah Mendlinger powered the offense in Israel’s 5-0 victory over Nicaragua in a World Baseball Classic result that clinched the blue-and-white’s berth in the 2029 tournament.

Team Israel sharp in tune-up wins as Ausmus eyes WBC statement in Miami

Symbolically, a Zoom interview conducted from Israel to Ausmus in Florida was briefly interrupted by Iranian missile attacks, underscoring the gravity of the moment.

MARCH 5, 2026ByDANNY GROSSMAN
Team Israel's veteran MLB pitcher Robert Stock dominated Marlins hitters with a 97 MPH fastball.

Harrison Bader, Dean Kremer headline as Team Israel announces World Baseball Classic lineup

Several MLB players have been added to Team Israel's roster this year, in time for next month's World Baseball Classic.

FEBRUARY 7, 2026ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA
Apr 17, 2024; New York City, New York, USA; New York Mets center fielder Harrison Bader (44) reacts as he rounds the bases after hitting a two run home run against the Pittsburgh Pirates during the sixth inning at Citi Field.

Alex Bregman, who drew a Jewish star on his cap after October 7, inks $175M deal with the Cubs

Bregman's contract with the Chicago Cubs is the second-largest contract ever signed by a Jewish ballplayer, behind Max Fried’s $218 million contract in 2024.

JANUARY 17, 2026ByJACOB GURVIS/JTA
Alex Bregman meets the media during his first press conference after signing with the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field on January 15, 2026.

Alon Leichman becomes first Israeli head pitching coach in the MLB

Leichman, who grew up on Kibbutz Gezer, had just wrapped up a season as assistant pitching coach for the Miami Marlins when he received the news on Saturday.

DECEMBER 12, 2025ByGRACE GILSON/JTA
Alon Leichman, former assistant pitching coach for the Miami Marlins, looks on before a game against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania on April 18, 2025.

Trump backs Roger Clemens for Baseball Hall of Fame, bashing 'erroneous' drug accusations

"The only reason he is not (in the Hall of Fame) is because of rumors and innuendo, which were not proven," Trump wrote on Truth Social.

DECEMBER 7, 2025ByREUTERS
Houston Astros former pitcher Roger Clemens tosses a ball before the game between the Astros and the Tampa Bay Rays at Minute Maid Park, August 2, 2025.

Sandy Koufax put his Judaism before his baseball career: What will be your Sandy Koufax moment?

When our kids see us sacrifice for our Jewish values and for Israel, and when they take part themselves, they learn that these are not ideals but living commitments.

NOVEMBER 9, 2025ByMATTHEW WEISBAUM
SANDY KOUFAX, himself inducted into the Baseball Hall of Fame in 1972, appears at this year’s ceremony in July, in Cooperstown, New York. He showed that being Jewish wasn’t something to hide or on which to compromise, the writer asserts.

Israel comes in 7th at European baseball championship

Israel’s baseball team ended its European Championship run with an 11-5 win over Croatia, highlighted by home runs and strong pitching.

SEPTEMBER 28, 2025ByJERUSALEM POST SPORTS STAFF
THE ISRAEL National Baseball Team displayed mostly solid defense during its European Championship run, which resulted in a seventh-place finish for the blue-and-white.

Israel just misses European baseball semis

Late blue-and-white rally falls short against the Czechs in the quarterfinal after a dominant win over the Swiss.

SEPTEMBER 25, 2025ByDANNY GROSSMAN
CHASE ENGELHARD helped spearhead Israel’s ninth-inning comeback against the Czech Republic yesterday, which ultimately came up a run short in a 4-3 quarterfinal defeat at the Baseball European Championship in Rotterdam.

Justin Alintoff leads Team Israel to 9-1 win, quarterfinals berth at Euro Baseball

“Today was Alintoff’s show,” said Israel manager Nate Fish. “But everyone rose to the occasion with an offense that put the game out of reach early."

SEPTEMBER 25, 2025ByDANNY GROSSMAN
TEAM ISRAEL starter Justin Alintoff pitched a complete game against Switzerland at the European Baseball Championship in Rotterdam.