Amid Insurance Denials, Puerto Rico’s 2026 World Baseball Classic Participation Remains Questionable

The World Baseball Classic is scheduled to open March 5 in Tokyo, with final rosters due Tuesday and MLB Network set to reveal the complete field Thursday at 7 p.m. ET.

Instead of anticipation surrounding roster announcements, the tournament’s buildup has been dominated by insurance denials that have sidelined several star players and thrown multiple national teams into uncertainty just days before the deadline.

The issue escalated Friday when the MLB Players Association announced that Francisco Lindor had been denied insurance and would be unable to represent Puerto Rico. That followed earlier announcements that Carlos Correa would not participate after failing to secure coverage, while José Altuve was also denied insurance and ruled out for Venezuela.

The situation worsened Saturday, particularly for Puerto Rico, when catcher Víctor Caratini and pitchers José Berríos, Yacksel Ríos, Jovani Morán and Luis Quiñones were informed they would not be insured for the event according to information by the president of Puerto Rico’s federation. Additional concern emerged as reports indicated that closer Edwin Díaz and right-hander Fernandéz Cruz were also facing difficulties obtaining coverage.

Puerto Rico’s frustration reached a boiling point Saturday. Dr. José Quiles, president of the island’s baseball federation, acknowledged the growing difficulty of assembling a competitive roster amid repeated insurance denials and did not rule out withdrawing from the tournament.

“We are considering not participating in this edition of the World Baseball Classic,” Quiles said. “It’s a discussion we’ve already had. If we are not playing under equal conditions, we will not participate. It’s a decision that is almost, almost made. We are issuing a warning. We’ll see what happens in the coming days, and we will make a final decision.”

 

On Sunday, however, there was a shift. Reports indicated that Morán and Luis Quiñones were approved for insurance after previously being denied, providing a measure of relief for Puerto Rico as it attempts to finalize its roster.

Puerto Rico’s baseball federation publicly raised the possibility Saturday of withdrawing from the tournament, a move that would have had major implications given the nation’s role as a host. In response, Major League Baseball revisited several insurance decisions, opening the door to approvals on a case-by-case basis. The approvals for Morán and Quiñones appear to be an early sign that ongoing discussions between MLB and the Puerto Rican federation are yielding progress.

Quiñones represents a significant addition for Puerto Rico. Pitching for Mayagüez during the winter league season, he was nearly untouchable, throwing 26 scoreless innings with 36 strikeouts. The right-hander signed a contract with the Minnesota Twins but required insurance approval to participate in the Classic, which was ultimately granted.

Morán also strengthens Puerto Rico’s pitching staff. The left-hander missed the entire 2024 season because of injury before returning in 2025, making a brief major league appearance with the Boston Red Sox. He pitched for Caguas this winter, posting a 0.82 ERA with 15 strikeouts in 11 innings, and is expected to serve as a valuable left-handed specialist.

According to reports, MLB sent a memo to World Baseball Classic teams after the Dec. 3 deadline for 35-man preliminary rosters indicating that 168 of approximately 700 players were denied insurance. The memo sparked renewed scrutiny of the criteria used to determine eligibility for coverage.

Players on MLB 40-man rosters must obtain insurance to participate in the World Baseball Classic. The coverage protects major league clubs by reimbursing them for salary if a player is injured during the tournament and misses time during the regular season. Without insurance, players risk losing pay and, as a result, generally will not participate.

Teams may waive the insurance requirement and assume the full financial risk of an injury, but such decisions are rare. The Detroit Tigers previously did so for Miguel Cabrera, but few clubs have followed that precedent.

A new provision this year has further complicated the process, as players aged 37 and older are no longer eligible for insurance coverage. That clause prevented infielder Miguel Rojas from playing for Venezuela.

According to reporter Francys Romero, players requiring insurance are placed into three categories. The first is “chronic condition,” which includes players with repeated injuries over multiple seasons and several stints on the 60-day injured list. The second is “intermediate condition,” applied to players with multiple recent 10-day injured list placements. The third category is considered low risk.

José Altuve and Francisco Lindor both underwent minor offseason surgeries, but Team Scotti, the tournament’s insurer, has reportedly taken a consistent stance in denying coverage to players who had offseason procedures.

Time spent on the 60-day injured list has also been viewed as disqualifying, according to reporting by The Athletic. In cases where a player does secure insurance after such a stint, their MLB club still retains the authority to deny permission for participation.

The uncertainty has made roster construction especially challenging as the submission deadline approaches.

In addition to Lindor and other Puerto Rico players, and Altuve for Venezuela, several other players have reportedly been denied insurance, including Carlos Narváez and Martín Pérez of Venezuela, Elly De La Cruz of the Dominican Republic, and Marcelo Mayer of Mexico with other names not publicly revealed as of right now.

The insurance controversy has overshadowed the run-up to roster announcements, with Puerto Rico and Venezuela scrambling to assemble 30-man rosters while key contributors remain sidelined by coverage issues. Still, with some decisions being reversed in recent days, there is growing optimism that additional players could receive approval in time for the tournament.

Teams are expected to receive final insurance determinations Monday and Tuesday as all 20 teams complete their final roster submissions.

Photo: Puerto Rico infielder Francisco Lindor, right, yells after he tagged out Nicaragua’s Juan Diego Montes (99) as Montes tried to steal the second base during the fourth inning of a World Baseball Classic game, Saturday, March 11, 2023, in Miami. (AP Photo/Marta Lavandier)