WORLD BASEBALL CLASSIC: POOL D - NICARAGUA VS NETHERLANDS

March 7, 2026

Chadwick Tromp

Shairon Martis

LoanDepot Park

Team Netherlands

Pregame Press Conference

Q. I was asking the same to Andruw Jones, the Netherlands or the kingdom of the Netherlands, you have been successful in the World Baseball Classic. You have been to the semifinals twice. How do you feel that success, that performance of the previous editions of this event is more popular now in Curaçao specifically?

SHAIRON MARTIS: It's been very useful. This is a major tournament. Young players are growing, are developing, and they see us as veterans, and we help them. This is a great opportunity for them.

As Shairon said, this tournament we are facing major leaguers on other teams. It is important for us to know that we don't have a huge population on Aruba and Curaçao. Together we have 300,000 inhabitants. I'm very proud because the young players see that, and they want to play. Of course the program grows both in Aruba and Curaçao.

Q. About today's pitcher, Kelly, a very young pitcher. What can you tell us about him? In your case, Shairon, you have international experience, and I want to ask you about that. Is it important for you to wear that uniform as you have done for so many years now?

SHAIRON MARTIS: Today's pitcher is a great prospect, good fastball, and he has a veteran catcher that is going to help him a lot.

And it means a lot to me to wear this uniform. I have worn many uniforms, but wearing the Netherlands jersey is like being together with my friends.

CHADWICK TROMP: Kelly is 18 years old. I met him many years ago. He is from Aruba, and his brother helps him a lot. I'm going to help him. I have a very good plan for him today, and he's going to execute it.

He's calling me a veteran, but to me, he's the veteran here. He's been wearing this uniform many more times than me. But he's a humble guy. Everyone knows who's the real veteran here, the only one that has pitched a no-hitter in the Classic, by the way.

Q. We are expecting many supporters here, many fans in the stadium. Is it important to have a game plan for a pitcher, considering the batters on the other team. But the pitcher is 18, so do you have a plan mentally speaking, emotionally speaking, for him to be better prepared for today? You are a catcher; how do you manage that situation?

CHADWICK TROMP: The most important thing is to start the conversation. We have been speaking last week, last year as preparation for the Classic, and this provides confidence. If you are well-prepared, you are going to be confident in your game. I told him, if you are both physically, mentally prepared, if you have a game plan, you are going to be confident during the game.

In the last two weeks when we were in Sarasota, Florida, I told him the same. I knew that he would be opening a game for us. I didn't know which game, but it was important for him to know beforehand that he would be opening a game.

He's 18, but you will see, he's a very good player, and he's very well-prepared, mentally speaking.

Q. How about that no-hitter, by the way? Talk about what that meant for you. What emotions do you remember from that point in time. And about today's game, yesterday the team had four hits. What do you say in order to face Nicaragua today? They have different characteristics than the pitchers from Venezuela but everyone is in the Classic.

SHAIRON MARTIS: I remember the sixth inning of that game. A teammate came in and he said, you are pitching a no-hitter, wow. I didn't realize that before, and I was thinking, well, I had to try to make the batters to contact the ball, and I threw a single ball at that time. It was a double play, and it was a no-hitter.

CHADWICK TROMP: Regarding yesterday, no, we have a lot of talent in the team. Venezuelan pitchers were very good, and they did a great job yesterday. But we didn't take advantage of many opportunities that we had.

This is going to be important today. We can hit. We can bat. We have to be focused on that. We have a very good game plan for today. We are professionals. We are playing in the majors. That's it. We just have to do our job, as simple as that.

Q. How is the atmosphere in the team after you lost Profar and after the defeat yesterday?

CHADWICK TROMP: After we lost Profar, it was business as usual. These things happen. It's obviously not what we want, but I think as a team we handled it the right way. We show up still and get our work done. At the end of the day, we have to get our work done every day. We can't be thinking about those things for a long period of time.

I think our manager has done a really great job of keeping us together and keeping us focused, as it showed in the two exhibition games that we had.

Also, in my opinion, we competed very well yesterday. The clubhouse has great vibes, honestly. The vibes didn't change, not one bit. Yeah, we're ready to go.

Q. So no big disappointment after these two happenings?

SHAIRON MARTIS: No, no. We're still focused on winning. That's our priority, focus on winning and play hard, and we're going to win?

Q. How are the chances today?

SHAIRON MARTIS: The chances are big. If you execute, you're going to win. You've got to score. If you score, you're the one that's going to win.

Q. Do you assume your team is the favorite today?

SHAIRON MARTIS: Yes, for sure. Since yesterday.

Q. Shairon, you've had a lot of experience in this tournament. How have you seen this event grow over the last 20 years? And with your experience, how can you utilize that for your young pitching staff?

SHAIRON MARTIS: I played in the first one. The first one was big. But back then there wasn't a lot of major league guys that joined the team. Nowadays, every team has 10-plus major leaguers. For me, it helped me a lot. Especially for young guys, you're going to face major league hitters, so it's going to be a plus for you.

I would say if you have the chance to play in the World Baseball Classic, do it.

Q. Chadwick, what's the experience been like for you dealing with the young staff? Obviously your first two starters are young pitchers. How are you able to help guide them through this experience and these starts?

CHADWICK TROMP: Well, first things first, it's actually a privilege to work with young pitchers because you're getting the young part of the brain, the brain that's learning baseball, the brain that's experiencing baseball at the highest level. I think it's very interesting to me. When I have conversations with older guys and have conversations with younger guys, their perspectives are completely different.

But they're all geared towards one thing, and that is win. I think what's also very beautiful is understanding the type of person they are, the competitive nature that they have, how they go about their business. They're watching the older guys on the team go about their business. They're watching big league guys every day.

My message to them is always learn as much as you can while you're at it in the WBC. My first time experiencing this was 2017. And I remember for me, Dashenko was the guy that I looked up to. He was the oldest catcher here. It was just that simple. I had to learn from him, watch how he went about his business. And then after that, I felt like I was ready to catch and compete in this tournament. And also obviously being in the Big Leagues and seeing these familiar faces year-round makes it easier, also.

But one thing I will say, there's nothing better than playing with your brothers because that's what we have in there. I think, like Shairon said, every time you have an opportunity to do so, do it, because you're going to be part of something special. I don't think I've ever came close to playing in an atmosphere like I do with my brothers in the clubhouse.

Q. Obviously when you were growing up, Andruw Jones was a very big name. How is it to play under him now?

SHAIRON MARTIS: Growing up watching baseball back then, they'd always show the Atlanta Braves, so for me he became an idol. Now playing for him, it's something special. To see him as a manager, playing with him, playing against him and now having him as a manager, there's nothing better than that. Having your idol as a manager.

CHADWICK TROMP: For me, as well. I was telling the story, I remember watching TBS on my grandpa's lap every night, Channel 19 in Aruba. Thankfully I'm with the Braves, so I've had a pretty solid relationship with Andruw throughout the years. The past six years I've been with the Braves. So off the field I've had a really good friendship with him, I would say. You're asking me, I'd tell you the same thing.

I think our relationship goes beyond baseball, which I'm very grateful for. To see him be a manager in this tournament and how he's been handling everything, I think he's doing a phenomenal job. The guys show up ready to play. They're ready to play for him. They respect him. I think that's very important is the respect that everybody has for him, not just in the clubhouse but also in the baseball world. I mean, I think this guy is awesome, man. He's a treat.

Q. How is it to also have his son in the team?

CHADWICK TROMP: Yeah, it's awesome, also. Like I said, I was just explaining earlier, watching a kid that's learning baseball, experiencing baseball, learning new things, he's very lucky to have his father being the manager. He's very fortunate. He's also a great guy off the field.