Ian Kinsler and Danny Valencia, two former major league baseball players, joined the Long Island Ducks on July 2 for a one-week warmup before signing on with Team Israel for exhibition games before the official start of baseball in the summer Olympic Games, being held this year in Japan.

During Kinsler’s 14-year career in the majors, he played for the Rangers, Tigers, Padres, Angels and Red Sox, where he won a World Series ring in 2018. Starting at second base for the Ducks, Kinsler, whose father is Jewish, told Long Island Newsday, “Right now, this is probably the easiest way to catch up with the speed of the game and get prepared for the Olympics.”

Danny Valencia played nine seasons in the majors, mostly at third base, with the Twins, Orioles, A’s, Blue Jays, Royals, Mariners and Red Sox. Valencia was born to a Jewish mother and Cuban father, who converted to Judaism. “My heritage is Jewish, my baseball background is probably more Cuban. It’s a perfect combination,” Valencia said.