Jose Altuve will not participate in the World Baseball Classic; Houston Astros confirm they will not release him.

According to MLB's official website today, All-Star second baseman Jose Altuve has been confirmed to skip this year's World Baseball Classic (WBC), a decision made at the request of the Houston Astros, though the team has yet to officially announce this news.

During the team's annual fan event over the weekend, Altuve expressed his desire to represent his home country Venezuela in the tournament (managed by Astros bench coach Omar López), but the Astros prefer he remain at spring training to focus on preparing for the new season. López mentioned last month at the winter meetings that if Altuve participates, he would play second base and bat third.

The Astros’ concerns about Altuve playing in the Classic stem from an injury he suffered during the 2023 tournament. He was hit by a pitch that fractured his right thumb, requiring surgery and causing him to miss the first 43 games of the Astros' regular season.

Altuve returned in mid-May 2023, appearing in 90 games with a slash line of .311/.393/.522, hitting 17 home runs and driving in 51 runs. He played 153 games in 2024 and 155 games in 2025, making him the Astros player with the most appearances over the last two seasons.

In the final two weeks of the 2025 regular season, Altuve dealt with right foot pain and underwent surgery in November to drain fluid from a wound between his fourth and fifth toes. Last season, he hit .265 with 80 runs scored, 26 home runs, and 77 RBIs. At the fan event, he stated he is "fully recovered."

Early last season, the Astros moved Altuve to left field, but he ultimately spent more time at his primary position, second base. He started 61 games at second, 49 as designated hitter, and 44 in left field. For the 2026 season, he is expected to return fully or nearly fully to his familiar second base role.

Last month, López noted that the injury Altuve suffered during the Classic could also occur during spring training, but the Astros are unwilling to take any risks. At 36 years old, Altuve has built a Hall of Fame-worthy resume since debuting in MLB in 2011: three batting titles, 2017 AL MVP, two World Series championships, seven Silver Slugger awards, and nine All-Star selections.

Before the new season, Altuve has accumulated 2,388 hits, ranking second in Astros history and just 112 hits shy of the 2,500 milestone. He still has the potential to join the 3,000-hit club alongside Hall of Famer Craig Biggio. He has four years remaining on his contract with the Astros.

Venezuela is placed in Group D and will play an exhibition game against the Astros in West Palm Beach on March 3 (US time), followed by group stage games starting March 6 against the Netherlands, then facing Israel (March 7), Nicaragua (March 9), and the Dominican Republic (March 11).