The Los Angeles Dodgers are set to be represented by just five players in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but several others at least considered the possibility of participating.
Miguel Rojas, who is entering his final season with the Dodgers before retiring, hoped to play for Venezuela, but he was unable to secure an insurance policy.
Rojas was denied coverage due to being on the verge of turning 37 years old. Any player 37 or older is unable to be insured for the WBC.
“Definitely disappointed,” Rojas said. “I’m not happy with the way things are. I didn’t know that my chance to go represent my country for the first and only time, probably as a player, was going to get cut because of an insurance problem.
“Even though we know we have to be ready for the season, and we have to play and be ready for our contract. At the end of the day, we didn’t know all those stipulations were going to be in place the way they are right now.
“My only question is, why is it just with our countries? Venezuela, Puerto Rico, we’ve seen a couple of Dominican players. I don’t see that happening with the United States or happening with Japan.
“I’m not trying to attack anybody, or attack what’s going on, or see what’s happening behind the scenes. But at the end of the day, it feels like it’s just happening with the players who want to represent their country from Latin America. So there are a lot of things I would like to talk about with someone in control, with someone from MLB.
“It’s really hard to not have the opportunity to put my country on my chest and have the opportunity to represent them and help win a World Baseball Classic. Not having the opportunity to do it because I’m 37 years old—that’s not right. I don’t feel that’s right.
“If I can still play in the big leagues for the Dodgers, why not go play for my team in Venezuela and represent my country?”
MLB players participating in the WBC are insured by National Financial Partners, an official partner of the league. If an insured player gets injured during the WBC, NFP pays back his entire salary to the MLB team.
However, the broker has become more reluctant to approve certain players after Jose Altuve and Edwin Díaz sustained injuries during the 2023 WBC.
A player denied insurance coverage can still participate in the WBC if his MLB team is willing to waive the requirement.
The Dodgers faced a similar dilemma in 2023, when they decided against Clayton Kershaw playing for Team USA after he was unable to secure an insurance policy. The left-hander, now retired, is set to represent the United States in this year’s tournament.
Miguel Rojas among players concerned about WBC insurance requirement
Rojas isn’t the only player concerned about insurance requirements to participate in the WBC.
Team Puerto Rico is considering withdrawing from the tournament after Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, José Berríos and Victor Caratini were not cleared to play.
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