It’s not often as a young player that you find yourself with the weight of the entire season on your shoulders. For Dean Kremer, that moment is about to happen as he steps on the mound in a win or go home game three of the ALDS.
For Kremer (13-5, 4.12 ERA in the regular season), it’s something a little bit more. Yes, he pitched the game that secured a postseason spot for the Baltimore Orioles and started the game that would clinch the No. 1 seed. He’s been in big moments all season, even putting forth some monumental performances along the way.
This one is a little different than the others. Kremer, who is of Israeli decent, became the first Israeli player to pitch in the majors. The last remaining piece of the Manny Machado trade, Kremer has become the biggest gem of the trade.
Over the weekend, a Palestine militant group called Hamas set off an attack on Israel that has ignited a war that has been escalating for decades. With over 900 Israeli citizens murdered and many more injured, Israel has become a country torn into a warzone.
Kremer, who visits Israel every offseason and pitched for his country in the World Baseball Classic, has family who lives in Israel and has duel citizenship. Though he was born and raised in Stockton, California, Kremer is the son of Israeli parents and identifies as Israeli. He even speaks fluent Hebrew.
“Obviously, it’s a very sad situation,” Kremer said. “A lot of things are being brought to light. But everybody’s OK right now. Hyde and almost every single person in the clubhouse has come in and checked on me at some point over the last 48 hours, and I’m very grateful for that.”
In Kremer’s final outing of the regular season, he would pitch 5.1 innings of scoreless ball against the Boston Red Sox. Though he did not factor in the decision, it was his outing that helped lay the foundation in securing the top seed in the postseason.
Kremer last pitched in Globe Life Field in April 2021. In that game, he would allow one run in 4.2 innings, but Kremer is a much different pitcher than two seasons ago.
Orioles manager Brandon Hyde has the utmost confidence in Kremer, though he waited until after game two to let Kremer know he would be pitching in the do-or-die game three in Arlington.
“I saw him at breakfast this morning,” Hyde said. “We had a nice conversation. Gave him my support and sympathies for him and his family that’s involved, and he seemed OK. He seemed like he was ready to pitch. He seemed like he felt comfortable with where his family situation was at with the whole thing.”
Somehow, on the biggest stage of his career, it doesn’t seem as grand in the scale of what is happening in the “real world.” It hasn’t deterred the 27-year-old righty in the least, but he also won’t let it distract him.
“Is there a hesitation? No,” Kremer said. “I still want to pitch. But I mean, it’s going to be in the back of my head.”
Baseball is a game that brings fans together and lets us find heroes we get behind. For Kremer, baseball will be a chance to get away from distress and worry.
The weight of game three seems so much lighter than it was before Saturday, which was the Jewish Sabbath, as well as the Jewish holiday Simchat Torah. As his heart is with his family, his focus will be on the moment.
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