Jose Reyes is taking on a different role as an elder statesman of sorts for Team Dominican Republic in the 2017 World Baseball Classic. On Thursday, however, Reyes showed there's still plenty of juice in his bat -- and plenty of life in his 33-year-old legs.
Reyes was the perfect catalyst at the top of the Dominican order Thursday, setting the table in a dominant 9-2 victory in the country's Pool C opener against Team Canada at Marlins Park in Miami. The Mets infielder, playing in his team-leading 16th career Classic game, went 3-for-5, scored two runs and stole a base while being right in the middle of several rallies for his native country. Reyes set the tone in the game's very first at-bat by doubling to right field before motioning back to his exuberant Dominican teammates.
:: 2017 World Baseball Classic ::
Reyes would end up stranded after that double, but he was right back in the thick of things the very next inning. After teammate Welington Castillo cleared the bases with a two-run homer, Reyes kept the rally moving with a single to right and later scored as part of a four-run rally for the Dominicans, whose next game is against Team USA on Saturday at 6:30 p.m. ET on MLB.TV and MLB Network. Reyes later singled and stole second base in the bottom of the sixth, something the Mets hope to see more of after Reyes stole nine bags in 60 games of action last season.
Reyes' only major blemish came in the field while playing his original position of shortstop. He committed a throwing error to first base to begin the top of the third, which eventually led to Canada's first run of the game.

The World Baseball Classic runs through March 22. In the U.S., games air live exclusively in English on MLB Network and on an authenticated basis via MLBNetwork.com/watch, while ESPN Deportes and WatchESPN provide the exclusive Spanish-language coverage. MLB.TV Premium subscribers in the U.S. have access to watch every tournament game live on any of the streaming service's 400-plus supported devices. The tournament is being distributed internationally across all forms of television, internet, mobile and radio in territories excluding the U.S., Puerto Rico and Japan. Get tickets for games at Marlins Park, Tokyo Dome, Estadio Charros de Jalisco in Mexico, Petco Park, as well as the Championship Round at Dodger Stadium, while complete coverage -- including schedules, video, stats and gear -- is available at WorldBaseballClassic.com.