Overview
- The MLBPA said Francisco Lindor is ineligible under WBC insurance rules after an October elbow procedure, and reports indicate José Altuve was also denied coverage for Venezuela.
- Puerto Rico officials have publicly discussed pulling out after eight to ten expected players, including Carlos Correa, José Berríos, Victor Caratini, Emilio Pagán and Alexis Díaz, were flagged in late decisions.
- Coverage denials hinge on factors such as offseason surgery, prior 60-day IL stints, chronic-injury designations and a new cutoff that excludes players once they turn 37, which affected Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas.
- A denial does not automatically bar participation, but it shifts financial risk to MLB clubs to approve uninsured play, a step teams rarely take for sizable contracts.
- Edwin Díaz has been confirmed to pitch for Puerto Rico, three years after his 2023 WBC knee injury, as MLB and the MLBPA lobby the insurer and teams race to finalize rosters due Tuesday and set for announcement Thursday.