When Baltimore Orioles pitcher Dean Kremer made his first postseason start in game 3 of the ALDS against the Texas Rangers, he did so with a heavy heart. Even in a situation that is as high-pressure as you can get, the MLB player was sure to honor his Jewish heritage by prominently wearing the Star of David on the mound in support of Israel following this weekend’s Hamas attacks.
Dean Kremer is a dual Israeli-American citizen, and he still has family members who currently live in Israel. The country was attacked by the Palestinian militant group on Saturday, with as many as 1,000 assailants infiltrating Israeli territory, killing hundreds of soldiers and civilians, and taking dozens of hostages back into Gaza.
“Obviously, it’s a very sad situation. A lot of things are being brought to light. But everybody’s OK right now,” Kremer said prior to the game. “[Orioles manager Brandon 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.”
“Is there a hesitation? No. I still want to pitch. But I mean, it’s going to be in the back of my head.”
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Unfortunately for Kremer and the O’s, they lost the game, 7-1 to the Rangers, who got a strong outing from All-Star Nathan Eovaldi, to eliminate Baltimore from the postseason. Despite a remarkable 1010-win season, the Orioles will have to look to next year for a chance at the first World Series title since 1983.
Dean Kremer went 13-5 with a 4.12 ERA and 157 strikeouts for the AL East Champion Orioles in the 2023 season. He also represented Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic earlier this year.
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