Puerto Rico Faces Multiple Key Player Absences Due to Insurance Issues, May Consider Withdrawing from the World Baseball Classic

The World Baseball Classic (WBC) will start in March, yet Puerto Rico, originally seen as a favorite to win, has had multiple star players drop out because of insurance problems and is currently assessing whether to withdraw from the tournament, causing concern among observers.

According to Puerto Rican media outlet El Vocero de Puerto Rico, all WBC players listed on a Major League Baseball (MLB) 40-man roster must undergo review by an insurance company jointly approved by MLB and the players' union. Players deemed "uninsurable" due to past injuries will not have their contracts protected if injured during the event unless their parent club provides additional coverage.

ESPN reports that the insurance company NFP, under an agreement between MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA), covers risks related to multiple editions of the Classic. The premiums are paid by the event organizers, and if an insured player is injured during the tournament and ruled out for the season, the insurance company covers their salary, relieving the team from financial responsibility.

Insiders reveal that player insurance eligibility is mainly categorized into three risk levels based on health status. Players meeting any of the following criteria are classified as having a "chronic injury history," making it significantly harder to obtain coverage:

• Spent at least 60 cumulative days on the injured list last season
• Missed two of the last three games last season due to injury
• Underwent surgery after last season ended
• Had multiple surgeries throughout their career
• Still on the injured list as of the last day of August last season

Other health conditions are categorized as "moderate risk" or "low risk," making insurance coverage relatively easier to secure.

The Athletic further notes that since the last Classic, MLB players’ insurance premiums have risen sharply, and insurers have tightened their screening standards. Analysts attribute this to injury incidents during the previous tournament—when Jose Altuve and Edwin Díaz both suffered injuries—prompting insurers to reassess their risk models for international competitions.

Under this system, Puerto Rico’s competitiveness has been severely impacted. Several core players, including team captain Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, and José Berríos, have withdrawn due to their inability to secure insurance. The Puerto Rico Baseball Federation also disclosed that more key pitchers and hitters failed the insurance review, making a significant weakening of the team inevitable.

In response, José Quiles, president of the Puerto Rico Baseball Association, publicly expressed strong dissatisfaction, stating that the current system is extremely unfair to Puerto Rico and emphasizing, "Only our country’s star players have repeatedly been denied insurance approval." Quiles admitted the federation is already considering withdrawing from the Classic and plans to submit a formal written appeal to the organizers, requesting policy adjustments.

Quiles sarcastically remarked, "If Team USA just wants the gold medal, they might as well play a best-of-three series against Japan and stop wasting our time."

In fact, similar issues arose in the last tournament, where some players attempted to secure their own insurance but abandoned the effort due to exorbitant costs. Because the Classic lacks a national team insurance system independent of professional leagues—unlike the FIFA World Cup—and remains MLB-operated, countries face limitations in player selection and preparation.

Puerto Rico is placed in Pool A for the qualifiers, alongside Cuba, Canada, Panama, and Colombia, with the preliminary rounds hosted on Puerto Rican soil. The team previously finished as runner-up in both 2013 and 2017 and notably defeated Japan in the 2013 semifinals, marking them as a strong contender in WBC history. Whether they ultimately withdraw is expected to be decided as soon as next week, with further developments pending.