Dean Kremer reveals he has family in Israel amid conflict with Palestine - "It's going to be in the back of my head"
Dean Kremer, a right-handed starter for the Baltimore Orioles, came into his own as a starter this season. Now, with his team's season on the brink, Kremer will also have some grave personal concerns on his mind.
After the Orioles surrendered the first two games of the ALDS to the Texas Rangers, they will head to Arlington with a 2-0 series lead. With Kremer set to start Game 3, he recently revealed that he has family in Israel.
On Saturday, militant groups launched an offensive against Israel from the Gaza Strip. Although the situation is still developing, hundreds of casualties have already been reported.
Dean Kremer is one of the relatively small number of Jewish players in MLB. The Stockton, California, native visits Israel regularly in the offseason and has family in the country. Before his start against the Texas Rangers on Tuesday, Kremer revealed that he may be preoccupied with his family's welfare.
"Dean Kremer, who has dual Israeli-American citizenship, said his family in Israel is OK. 'Obviously, it’s a very sad situation. … I still want to pitch, but it's going to be in the back of my head,'" Natha Ruiz tweeted.
Although Kremer's family is reportedly safe, the situation in Gaza is developing rapidly. Reports of a planned Israeli counteroffensive have led many to believe that the situation may get even more dire.
This was Kremer's fourth year on the Baltimore Orioles. Although the 6-foot-2 right-hander made a career-high 32 starts, his ERA clocked in at 4.12, representing an increase of nearly a full run from his 3.23 ERA last season.
Despite being the only AL team to win more than 100 games, the Orioles will have their season on the line when they take to Globe Life Field on Tuesday. Kremer's last start came against the Boston Red Sox on Sept. 28, when he pitched 5.1 shutout innings in a win.
Dean Kremer situation highlights the intersection of baseball and world affairs
In an official statement, MLB condemned the actions of the Palestinians towards Israel. Additionally, several teams have also come out with strong condemnations.
As for Dean Kremer, he will be taking the fate of his team in the palm of his hand, all while trying to filter out the thoughts that must be racing through his head. This is a difficult time for many people, and baseball players are not immune to it, even during critical postseason junctures.