The finalized 2026 World Baseball Classic rosters are set to be announced tonight at 7 p.m. on MLB Network, after months of speculation of how each country will stack up. However, many fans will be disappointed to see many of their favorite players will be missing out on the highly anticipated event.
The WBC exists to celebrate the international reach that baseball has developed over the years, where the biggest stars suit up for their own countries in place of spring training. Since its creation in 2006, the tournament has produced some of the most iconic and highest rated baseball games of all time, showcasing the national pride that comes with the sport, especially outside the US. But this year, one of the biggest storylines may not be who’s playing in the event, but who can’t.
New insurance requirements exclude players
In the past, the main controversy over the WBC was the risk of injury to players. Edwin Diaz and Jose Altuve are prime examples of this from the 2023 event, with both missing significant time for their respective MLB teams.
These concerns have sparked changes to salary insurance, which is now required for any major leaguer participating in the event. This policy is intended to protect a player’s salary if they sustain an injury and must miss regular season games. However, this year, insurance has become far more difficult to obtain.
The tournament’s official insurer, National Finance Partners, has taken a stricter stance on who is eligible for insurance during this WBC. Players with recent injuries, procedures or even those of advanced age have been deemed too risky to insure. As a result, numerous marquee players are being denied coverage and will be excluded from the event.
Who won’t be there, and why?
Among the biggest absences from the tournament are Houston Astros stars Altuve and Carlos Correa. Altuve has already faced a WBC-related injury in the past, and after an injury-riddled 2025 season, is considered too risky to insure. Correa’s situation stems from a series of past injuries which have forced him to miss significant time for the past few seasons, which led to him also being denied coverage. Both were denied insurance and will miss the chance to represent their countries, Venezuela and Puerto Rico, because of their questionable injury history and large contracts on the line.
Another compelling case is Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, who, going into his final major league season, hoped to represent Venezuela for the first time. Approaching age 37, he was denied coverage because the insurer chose not to cover players over a certain age threshold, eliminating his chance to represent his flag as his career nears its end.
The list of players is not limited to just these examples, with many other players feeling the impact. Elly De La Cruz (Dominican Republic) and Marcelo Mayer (Mexico), have faced similar troubles, leaving roster spots unfilled and increased uncertainty as the tournament nears.
Puerto Rico’s roster woes
Arguably, the biggest victim of this development is Team Puerto Rico. Initially seen as the early favorites in Pool A, the team has seen over seven of its top players become ineligible over insurance issues. This includes would-be captain Francisco Lindor, whose offseason elbow procedure led to his insurance denial, offering a massive blow to the team. José Berríos, Victor Caratini, and a few others must also miss the event for similar reasons.
The situation has become so severe that Puerto Rico has even considered withdrawing from the tournament entirely if they cannot field a competitive team. This would be a major disappointment for a team that was set to host first-round games in San Juan, and a passionate baseball culture within the country eager to cheer on their stars.
As Puerto Rico must face difficult decisions in the coming days, it has become clear that these insurance troubles are damaging the WBC and effectively destroying a perennial powerhouse for off-the-field reasons.
Looking ahead
Despite the setbacks, the World Baseball Classic is still expected to deliver intense and memorable moments this March. But many are left to wonder what this event could look like if teams could actually field the best rosters possible. Much still needs to change for the WBC to truly be taken seriously alongside the likes of the World Cup, and not just as an exhibition as many executives currently see it.
These insurance debacles are undoubtedly holding a tournament with so much potential back, and fans across the world deserve a tournament driven purely by national pride, not actuarial calculations. The moment that we become willing to accept the risks of a tournament like the WBC, the event may skyrocket into one of the biggest international sporting events in the world.