Anthony Fenech

Detroit Free Press

NATIONAL HARBOR, Md. -- This spring’s World Baseball Classic will have a strong Detroit Tigers flavor.

Managing the U.S. team is Jim Leyland, former Tigers manager and current special assistant to general manager Al Avila. Managing the Venezuelan team is first-base coach Omar Vizquel.

And this afternoon, a couple more names entered the fold.

Second baseman Ian Kinsler will play for the U.S. team, according to two people with knowledge of the situation, and first baseman Miguel Cabrera will play for the Venezuelan team, according to mlb.com.

Provisional rosters could be announced this afternoon.

Kinsler, 34, is coming off of a sensational season in which he hit .288 with 28 home runs and 83 RBIs. He won his first American League Gold Glove Award.

Cabrera, 33, is one of baseball’s best hitters. In 2016, he hit .316 with 38 home runs and 108 RBIs. His participation is not a surprise: Cabrera reportedly played a part in mediating differences between Vizquel and Venezeulan GM Carlos Guillen, another former Tiger.

Both Kinsler and Cabrera have been talked about in trade rumors this off-season. But at this point, it appears unlikely that the Tigers will trade either.

Kinsler is the team’s best two-way player. Due an affordable $11 million this season, his contract carries a limited no-trade clause. His agent, Jay Franklin, told Fox Sports’ Ken Rosenthal earlier in the off-season that he would look for a contract extension in exchange for lifting that clause.

Cabrera’s departure is even less likely. He is owed $212 million through 2023 -- his age 40 season.

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Contact Anthony Fenech: afenech@freepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @anthonyfenech.