U.S.-Israel citizen Dean Kremer to start ALDS Game 3 with heavy heart over deadly Hamas attacks

BALTIMORE - Orioles' game three ALDS starter Dean Kremer will be taking the mound on Tuesday with a heavy heart.

Kremer was named the starter of the elimination game in the best-of-five series in Texas.

However, looming in the back of his mind are the deadly attacks over in Israel.

"Is there a hesitation?" Kremer said. "No, I still want to pitch, but it's going to be in the back of my head."

Kremer, who is Jewish, has a dual Israeli-American citizenship. He has family still in Israel and lives there for two months each year.

After years of simmering tensions, the conflict between Israel and Hamas, a Palestinian militant group, has erupted into open warfare after a surprise attack by Hamas.

More than 1,500 people have been killed since Hamas launched assault on Israel from Gaza early Saturday, leading Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu to declare "we are at war."   

Israeli officials also say Hamas fighters captured more than 100 hostages, including women, children and elderly people, who were apparently taken into Gaza as captives.

"My family's OK," Kremer said. "It's obviously a very sad situation but a lot of things are brought to light."

Orioles' Manager Brandon Hyde said he consulted with Kremer before naming him Tuesday's starter.

"We had a nice conversation. I gave him my sympathy and support for his family who is involved," Hyde said. "He seemed OK. He seemed like he is ready to pitch. He seemed like he felt comfortable with where his family situation was at with the whole thing."

Hyde also said he had a sense that the violence in Israel would not affect him in the biggest game of his career.

Kremer, a 27-year-old from Stockton, Calif., has a 13-5 record with a 4.12 ERA this season in 32 games.

In his last appearance, he pitched 5.1 shutout innings, allowing just two hits and striking out eight, on Sept. 28 against the Boston Red Sox.

"Obviously, he is very disturbed and there are a lot of things going on but I didn't sense that it was going to affect him," Hyde said. "I think he is really looking forward to pitching tomorrow."  

The Rangers will start righty Nathan Eovaldi, who had a 12-5 record with a 3.63 ERA in the regular season. He pitched 6.2 shutout innings in the Rangers win over Tampa Bay in the wild-card round.

Hyde

We had a nice conversation. I gave him my sympathy and support for his family who is involved. He seemed OK. He seemed like he is ready to pitch. He seemed like he felt comfortable with where his family situation was at with the whold thing.

"Obviously, he is very disturbed and there are a lot of things going on but I didn't sense that it was going to affect him," Hyde said. "I think he is really looking forward to pitching tomorrow."

Kremer

Every person in the clubhouse has come and checked on me as somepoint over the past 48 hours. i'm very grateful for that.

is there a hesitation? No, I still want to pitch, but it's going to be in the back of my head.

My family's OK. It's obviously a very sad situation but a lot of things are brought to light.