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Syndergaard, Kluber won't pitch for U.S. in WBC

Jim McIsaac / Getty Images Sport / Getty

The United States won't have two of its finest right arms at its disposal during the 2017 World Baseball Classic.

New York Mets ace Noah Syndergaard and Cleveland Indians right-hander Corey Kluber both declined invitations to pitch for their country in the March tournament on Tuesday, a potential blow to the nation that's failed to attract several high-profile names in the brief history of the WBC.

Syndergaard chose to bow out of consideration in order to prepare for the 2017 season.

The 24-year-old was one of several Mets starters to deal with health issues during the past year; though his specific injury - a bone spur in his elbow - isn't considered to be serious, both team and player felt it would be better to skip this edition of the tournament for the sake of his team's championship hopes.

"Noah feels his performance the past two years is in large part due to his offseason and spring workout routines," Syndergaard's agent, Ryan Hamill, said in a statement to Jon Morosi of MLB Network. "It is a tremendous honor to be considered to play for Team USA and Noah does not take the prospect of playing in the WBC lightly. But he also feels strongly about his responsibility to the Mets, their fan base, and their quest to win a World Series."

Kluber, who placed third in this year's AL Cy Young voting, declined the invitation because of the Indians' run to the World Series that increased his workload in 2016, his agent B.B. Abbott told Morosi. The Alabama native pitched to a 1.83 ERA over six postseason starts in his first taste of October baseball.

The 2017 World Baseball Classic is set to kick off March 9.

Team USA's first game goes the following day against Colombia at Marlins Park.

Several American stars have already committed to play for Jim Leyland's team, including this year's NL Cy Young Award winner Max Scherzer, Tampa Bay Rays right-hander Chris Archer, and Texas Rangers backstop Jonathan Lucroy.

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