World Baseball Classic: Semifinals
Sunday, 15 March, 2026
Miami, Florida, USA
LoanDepot Park
Team Italy
Dylan DeLucia
Workout Day
Q. I wonder as you've pitched so calmly in the amazing environment there in Houston, how much did you fall back on your experience from Omaha as a young pitcher to be there to be able to handle what was a pretty extraordinary environment?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah. I mean, definitely being in this atmosphere brought back a lot, for sure. Been battling that definitely through the minors and stuff. But like being back in the atmosphere like definitely, it's just like how can you stay calm in the moment. Just execute one pitch at a time. I think that was the game plan yesterday. Definitely Puerto Rico brought some fans and it was fun, but if I -- that's all I thought, if I could just stay calm in the moment, not let the game get too big, I'll come out successful hopefully.
Q. You mentioned too just the journey in the minor leagues. I wonder if you could take us back a bit after the College World Series. I know you had Tommy John after that. What were those moments of adversity along the way that really tested you and what were you able to do to overcome them?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah, obviously new pitch shape honestly is a big thing. Come back from T.J., not the same release height, not the same metrics as like before. So you're relearning your stuff.
Added two pitches, added a splitter and cutter where in college I was just fastball, slider. So revamping honestly my arsenal and just trying to basically better myself and kind of just, yeah, just keep going with it.
But like you have to revamp and learn more when you get to the big league level. It's like I've just been learning from a lot of the guys around the clubhouse, especially like having Nola around, asking him questions and everything. It's a big learning moment. Always being able to learn is what's going to keep someone hopefully playing longer.
Q. For you from an emotional standpoint, how much did it enrich this experience that you had a family trip to Italy so recently and that you were able to see the places? Maybe just talk about that experience. And did you actually visit the hometown where your family came from to really make it an emotional time?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah, so we actually didn't get to -- we visited a lot like dad's side of it. It was really cool like getting to see like the homeland of like everything, you know. When we went to Italy, it was awesome. It was a great experience.
Got to spend 14 days. Hopefully we get to go back this year and next year. And now we get to stay at some of the people's -- some of the family I made here houses there and learn actually more about it.
But it's a good group of guys here, for sure. Like inviting me into their homes. Like when you come, come stay with me. It's a cool thing that we've got going on here for sure.
Q. Does that seem like it's a common conversation topic around the clubhouse now, Dylan, that you're the -- the Italians who were on the team who live there now, that they want to help the Italian-American players learn more about the culture and experience and really make this not just a tournament but a really important moment in your entire life?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: No, 100 percent. It's awesome. I learned so much about Italy, my roots, everything throughout this.
I remember call my agent, was like, hey, I want to do this in '23. Obviously just getting drafted, like got hurt, like it just wasn't the time.
But like getting to do this now, this has always been a thing. I've always wanted to play for Italy. I just saw it last time and I was just like it's a huge moment. I'm excited definitely to be here. Shout-out to the Federation like for having me and putting together such a great squad. We've got a great team.
And like we're all just having fun. That's the main part. We're all getting to know each other in different ways. Like we're asking questions just like, hey, like, and then like learning more about our heritage throughout it because the guys that live there can tell you a lot more.
Q. Dylan, I'm curious, are you hearing from Italian fans at all like on social media or whatever?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah.
Q. The success of the team, yeah. What's it been like sort of seeing actual Italians react to the success you guys are having?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah, I heard something crazy the other day about like yesterday was the first televised baseball game in Italy. So I opened my phone after the game to like 60 DMs and it was in words I didn't know what to say, I didn't know how to say. So it was a little different, for sure. Definitely going to have to do some Google Translate for sure. But it was awesome really like just to see that side of everything, and just to honestly put on the Italian jersey is like, it's such an honor.
Q. Curious, Dylan, what did you see from Lorenzen in his first start just with the incredible command he had that night, and what does that mean in terms of your confidence for tomorrow's game?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Yeah, I'm confident in the resin. When you've got big leaguers going, it's really cool to watch, for sure. Like I said, like Nola and Lorenzen are just such great people. They've definitely helped me through a lot so far just asking questions, sitting by them in the dugout, just like picking their brains. They helped me like a lot with just swing patterns on guys.
Lorenzen I have the utmost confidence in. I mean, the guy's calm, the guy's collected, the guy's been there, the guy's done it. You could just tell just by how he acts and how he is. He's there and he knows what he's doing. So like I have 100 percent confidence in him tomorrow. I'm excited to watch him, learn a little bit more. Yeah, I'm stoked.
Q. One last question on playing with Bazzana last year in AA. Obviously he's someone that we think a lot about in the international baseball context. What did you observe? I know it was on the other side of the world, but from being able to see how much fun he had playing for Australia and really what he means to Australian baseball?
DYLAN DeLUCIA: Bazzana's just got passion around the game. Around everything, he's got so much passion. I love playing with him. He's a straight -- we just like to say he's a straight dog at the end of the day. He's got so much heart for the game. He's always crazy like how good he is. He's always willing to learn, he's always asking us questions, always asking for advice, how can I get better, how can I do this, how can I do that. He's a great dude to definitely walk around, talk around, be around. He knows the game so well.
Watching him play for Australia, it was wicked, it was cool. I could tell on his face he was stoked. Just playing with him though, like I saw that, he just cares about the game so much and he just wants to be there and play.
FastScripts Transcript by ASAP Sports165179-2-1001 2026-03-15 20:38:00 GMT
