Why MLB stars are being told they can’t play in the World Baseball Classic

Insurance concerns for players in the World Baseball Classic reached a fever pitch Saturday, when officials from Team Puerto Rico said they might withdraw the team from the tournament after learning eight to 10 of their players would be denied coverage.

“That option is on the table,” said Joey Sola, Team Puerto Rico’s operations manager. “It obviously will depend upon if we can figure out the substitute players.”

Puerto Rico’s losses include its captain, New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who was denied coverage after undergoing two surgeries on his right elbow in the past three offseasons but is expected to be ready for spring training.

The heightened insurance concerns stem from injuries to Jose Altuve and Edwin Díaz during the last WBC in 2023, which created aftershocks that will lead to fewer star players on the field in Major League Baseball’s international tournament this spring.

Since the last tournament, insurance for major-league players has grown considerably more expensive, and the league’s insurer has become more stringent about which players it approves, people briefed on the underwriting process who were not authorized to speak publicly said.

Houston Astros third baseman Carlos Correa, Toronto Blue Jays right-hander José Berríos and Minnesota Twins catcher Victor Caratini are among the other Puerto Rican players who were not cleared to play, though the cases of Correa, Berríos and several others are under review, Sola said.

Officials with Team Puerto Rico fear that because they draw from a smaller player population than larger countries, they will be unable to find enough quality substitutes to field a competitive team — a particular concern with Puerto Rico hosting the first round of the WBC at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan from March 6 to 11. Puerto Rico is in a pool that also includes Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Panama.

MLB declined comment while the statuses of players from numerous countries are pending. Rosters are not due until Tuesday and are scheduled to be announced Thursday. MLB and the Major League Baseball Players Association, co-owners of the tournament, are lobbying the insurer to change some decisions.

National Financial Partners, an official partner of MLB, brokers the insurance policy. NFP did not immediately respond to a request for comment.

A player denied insurance coverage can still participate in the WBC if his major-league team is willing to assume the financial risk in case of injury. The Detroit Tigers did that in 2023 with Miguel Cabrera, who was set to earn $32 million in his final season. The Los Angeles Dodgers made the opposite decision that year with left-hander Clayton Kershaw, who was earning $20 million. Kershaw, now retired from MLB, is playing in this year’s tournament for Team USA. He does not need to be covered by insurance because he is not on an MLB or minor-league team’s roster.

The union issued statements Friday night about Lindor and Altuve, the latter denied insurance after undergoing a procedure on his right foot in November. The union followed up Saturday with a broader statement.

“Players are passionate about being able to play the game they love for their country’s fans,” the union said. “It is why we understand and share in the disappointment of last night’s news regarding the insurance criteria not being met for the players to participate in the World Baseball Classic.”

The insurance policy pays back the major-league club for a player’s salary if the player gets hurt during the WBC. Players are not at risk of losing their salaries. For approved position players, the insurance covers 100 percent of their salary for two years, sources said. For pitchers, it’s four years.

No cap exists for how much salary can be covered in total across MLB, a source said, emphasizing there is not a game of musical chairs in which one player’s insurance approval could reduce the chances of another’s.

Trips to the 60-day injured list and recent surgeries such as Lindor’s are typically disqualifying. But the insurer reviews each player’s injury history case by case.

Among the U.S. players cleared to play, New York Yankees superstar Aaron Judge went on the injured list in late July with a right elbow flexor strain but still appeared in 152 games. Chicago Cubs third baseman Alex Bregman missed nearly seven weeks last season for the Boston Red Sox with a strained right quad but did not go on the 60-day IL or undergo surgery. Byron Buxton, the oft-injured Minnesota Twins center fielder, also avoided both disqualifiers.

Los Angeles Dodgers superstar Shohei Ohtani, who underwent major elbow surgery after the 2023 season, will hit but not pitch in the WBC, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said Saturday. Ohtani, who returned to the mound only last June, was unlikely to be cleared to pitch, people briefed on the underwriting process said.

Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, a native of Venezuela who did not receive insurance coverage, echoed Saturday a sentiment raised by some in the Puerto Rican media — that the process is inconsistent, and U.S. and Japanese players are being treated differently.

“I’m not trying to attack anybody or attack what’s going on,” Rojas said. “But if I can still play in the big leagues for the Dodgers, why am I not going to play for my team in Venezuela and represent my country?”

In Rojas’ case, the answer is that he turns 37 next month. The insurance does not cover players once they are 37, a difference from previous WBCs, sources said. That will affect some players who are close to 37, as well. Major-leaguers are likely to be denied if they turn 37 in the two-year window for position players or the four-year window for pitchers.

Sola questioned the insurance decisions coming within days of rosters being finalized, saying they are contributing to his team’s difficulties. Officials briefed on the process, however, said the process takes time, and final evaluations need to occur close to the start of the tournament.

“In some ways, I think it’s a little bit unfair,” Sola said. “Especially when you are three days from submitting your final roster. Who in the world would think Lindor wasn’t on the (eligible) list? You wait until the last weekend to get an answer on Lindor? C’mon.

“It took us by surprise. I know the WBC isn’t in those decisions. It’s the insurance companies. But you have guys on other teams, they have an injury history and then I got guys on my roster who will be playing at the Double-A level with no (major-league) guarantee, no MLB invitation (to spring training), and they get flagged. And guys on other teams who can play in the WBC are earning $30 million per year. It’s kind of tough to understand it.”

For Lindor, the elbow surgeries were disqualifying. Berríos, suffering from right elbow inflammation, went on the IL in late September for the first time in his career. The Blue Jays did not include him on any of their postseason rosters.

Correa has a long injury history, and concerns about his surgically repaired right leg during the 2022-23 offseason prompted the San Francisco Giants and New York Mets to back off their respective free-agent agreements with him. But Correa’s only trip to the IL last season was for a concussion. He appeared in 144 games, his most since 2021.

Right-handers Luis Quiñones (Twins), left-hander Jovani Morán (Red Sox) and right-hander Yacksel Ríos (Cubs) are among the other players from Team Puerto Rico who initially were not cleared but whose cases remain under review, Sola said.

Of Lindor, who appeared in 160 games last season, the union said, “Francisco is obviously disappointed that he will be unable to participate. However, because of WBC insurance constraints, he is ineligible to play in WBC games. He will participate fully in all spring training activities.”

— The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya contributed to this report.