Dean Kremer To Take Mound For O’s With Family In Israel On Mind

Israeli-American pitcher Dean Kremer will start his first playoff game for the Baltimore Orioles while contemplating his kin in Israel on Tuesday night, where war has been declared as a result of a fatal strike by the militant group Hamas.

In Game 3 of the American League Division Series against the Texas Rangers, which the Orioles must win to extend their season, Kremer indicated on Monday that he has no reservations about pitching.

The right-handed pitcher, who is 27 years old and holds dual citizenship, has a sizable extended family in Israel. Kremer claimed they were fine at the moment without going into any detail.

Kremer, who was born and raised in Stockton, California, is of Israeli descent and considers himself to be Israeli. He is conversant in Hebrew and visits the Jewish state frequently.

After Israel was attacked on Saturday, Kremer learned on Sunday that he would start Game 3. Brandon Hyde, the manager of the Orioles, spoke with the pitcher over breakfast on Monday.

Almost everyone in the Orioles’ clubhouse, according to Kremer, has inquired about him at some time over the past few days, along with the manager.

In 32 starts this season, including both of the Orioles’ championship-clinching contests, Kremer is 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA. On September 17, his five-plus innings of an 11-inning victory over the Tampa Bay Rays secured a postseason spot. On September 28, he pitched 513 scoreless innings against the Boston Red Sox to claim the team’s 100th victory and the AL East title.

In 2015, the San Diego Padres selected Kremer in the 38th round, making him the first Israeli player ever selected in a baseball amateur draft. Kremer continued his education but joined with the Los Angeles Dodgers the next year after being selected in the 14th round. He was acquired by Baltimore in the 2018 Manny Machado to Los Angeles trade, and he made his major league debut in 2020 with the Orioles.