Report: Freeman likely to represent Canada at WBC

Team Canada will be without the services of Joey Votto at the 2017 World Baseball Classic, but another sweet-swinging left-handed first baseman might be coming to the rescue.

It's becoming "increasingly likely" that Atlanta Braves star Freddie Freeman will represent Canada at the WBC, according to Jon Morosi of MLB Network.

Though he was born and raised in California and has represented the United States in other international competitions, Freeman is eligible to play for Canada at the WBC through his Canadian parents. His father, Fred, was born in Windsor, Ontario, while his mother Rosemary grew up about an hour north of Toronto in the town of Peterborough.

The idea of Freeman representing Canada is not new. Freeman has been open to donning the red and white for some time as a way to honor his mother, who died of cancer when he was 10 years old. During the Braves' most recent trip to Toronto in 2015, Freeman spoke of his desire to honor Rosemary by playing for Canada, and he even spent time exploring the city to find a building where his mother once worked.

"That's always been a dream of mine," Freeman told The Associated Press in April 2015. "I want to represent Canada so I can represent my mother.

"Canada has some good first basemen in Votto and (Justin) Morneau, so I might have to just wait my turn, but hopefully I'll get to do it one day."

Votto elected to skip the 2017 edition after participating in the 2009 and '13 editions, while Morneau - a free agent - is expected to take part in his fourth WBC. That finally leaves a spot open for Freeman to join Canada, where he'd boost an already solid lineup that also features big-leaguers Russell Martin and Michael Saunders.

Team Canada opens the WBC on March 9 against the Dominican Republic at Marlins Park. The country has never advanced past the first round in four tries.