WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL D - NICARAGUA VS NETHERLANDS

March 7, 2026

Carlos Rodriguez

LoanDepot Park

Team Nicaragua

Pregame Press Conference

Q. You participated in your first Classic three years ago, and many things happened in your life. I interviewed you three years ago. What changes have you had in the three years? What has happened to you both professionally and personally?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: First of all, I would like to thank God for representing Nicaragua. A lot of things have changed. I'm now more experienced. I've played with many players in the majors. I have learned a lot from them. In the previous Classic, I didn't have much experience. But, yes, if something has changed in my life, it's the experience.

Q. What is the team talk about how you turn things around and make sure you don't have another situation like last night for today?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: I think it's just flipping the page. We've got to forget about that and come and win this game. At the end of the day, we've got to focus on today and not what happened yesterday.

Q. Talk about what you guys did well to start that game yesterday. You had a good start and jumped on some pitches, got around the bags a little bit.

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: Yeah, as you saw, we were facing Cristopher Sanchez who's almost a Cy Young caliber pitcher. I think the bats did pretty well against him, and being able to take him out of the game in the second inning was something great. The guys were putting together good at-bats and we got some big outs early in the game. It just got away from us in the fifth inning.

Q. Tomorrow you are going to the mound once again. What has the coaching staff told you in order to pitch tomorrow against Israel? What has it meant to you to be on the mound again pitching and depending on today's game, maybe getting the second win for the Nicaraguan team?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: We are focused on today's game, you know, so we haven't spoken a lot about the next game. I have been preparing myself from Spring Training to pitch on Sunday. And we've got to be focused on this game. We're going to have more time in the morning to take a look at the reports and to see Israel's lineup.

Q. Can you talk about Dusty and what he's meant and what it's been like to have him around for this team, not only here in Miami but also in the weeks leading up to it in Nicaragua?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: Having Dusty around is great. That's a Hall of Fame head coach right there, and being able to have him and his support and his experience is something great for us. Being able to play under him, it's a great pleasure.

He knows what he's doing. There's lineup changes, pitching matchups. It's something great to be able to have Dusty, having him around throughout the weeks and being able to speak to him. He's just a great person.

The Dodgers complex is very cool. I played there when I was really young, so it was a good memory to go back there. But yeah, it was a good experience.

Q. So far with your time being around Dusty, are there any lessons or mentorship that has stuck with you?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: I haven't had too much one-on-one experience with him yet. We're always on the clock here, so it's like, we've got to get in and out. But I bet throughout the day I'll be able to get some.

Q. Is there any change in your preparation compared to a regular season or Spring Training game compared to WBC?

CARLOS RODRIGUEZ: I don't think so. Getting to build up early in the year that I wouldn't be throwing four innings this early in the year. Other than that, it's just another regular season game, I'll say. But yeah, just getting built up early, I think, is the only big change I've had.