Many of the biggest names in baseball are taking the field in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, but a handful were forced to sit out for reasons out of their control.

After Edwin Diaz and Jose Altuve suffered injuries in the tournament three years ago, insurance issues are keeping a few players — including Altuve — off the field.

For one country, the losses from insurance decisions were so severe that the possibility of withdrawing from the World Baseball Classic altogether was on the table at one point.

Here’s what you need to know about the insurance issues at the World Baseball Classic and which players are affected.

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World Baseball Classic insurance issues, explained

After injuries suffered by Diaz and Altuve at the 2023 World Baseball Classic, players on 40-man MLB rosters are required to either be covered by an insurance policy to play in the 2026 tournament or receive permission from their MLB team to play without insurance.

National Financial Partners, which evaluates each player’s request, classifies a player’s injury risk as either “low-risk,” “moderate,” or “chronic.” According to ESPN, these circumstances can lead to a player being labeled as chronic: At least 60 days on the injured list the previous season, injured for two of his team’s final three games the previous season, underwent two or more surgeries in his career or underwent surgery the previous season.

A significant number of players could fit that criteria, though not all were denied insurance. Minnesota Twins star Byron Buxton, for example, is on the USA roster despite undergoing two knee surgeries in the last four years.

The current policy also prevents players from receiving insurance for their contracts once they turn 37. That’s why Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas, who turned 37 in February, was denied a chance to play for Venezuela.

In February, Rojas questioned why so many Latin American teams were being impacted by insurance issues. “My only question is, why is it just with our countries, like Venezuela, Puerto Rico, a couple of Dominican players? “I don’t see that happening with the United States or happening with Japan,” he told reporters.

Clayton Kershaw, on the other hand, can play for the United States at 37 because he is no longer on an MLB contract. Kershaw was forced to withdraw from the World Baseball Classic in 2023 because he was not approved for insurance due to his injury history. Kershaw won’t be playing alongside Mike Trout, who was denied insurance due to his lengthy injury history.

Mega music star Bad Bunny offered to pay for Houston Astros star Carlos Correa’s insurance policy so Correa could suit up for Puerto Rico, but MLB, the Astros and agent Scott Boras all urged against it. 

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What is insurance in the World Baseball Classic?

Players on an MLB 40-man roster must either be covered by an insurance policy to participate in the World Baseball Classic or receive permission from their team to play without insurance.

The insurance policies are taken out by the WBC, but each request is evaluated by National Financial Partners.

Insurance policies protect teams, not players. Player contracts are already guaranteed, so an injury would not cost a player any money on his current deal. Long-term effects are still possible, of course, particular if a player is heading into the final year of his contract.

An insurance policy allows teams to receive financial compensation in the event of an injury, since the team would still have to pay out the injured player’s salary for an injury that occurred while away from the team. 

MORE: Inside USA’s World Baseball Classic roster

Do players need insurance to play in the World Baseball Classic?

Players on MLB 40-man rosters are required to be covered by an insurance policy at the World Baseball Classic. Insurance protects teams against injuries suffered during the tournament, allowing a team to receive financial compensation if a player suffers an injury. MLB contracts are guaranteed, so a player would still receive his full salary if he missed time with an injury suffered during the WBC. 

There is one exception for MLB players, as they can still play in the tournament with their team’s permission if they are not covered by insurance. While the Tigers allowed Miguel Cabrera to play without insurance in 2023, it is rare that a team would take that risk. 

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Players with WBC insurance issues

The following players won’t play in the World Baseball Classic due to insurance issues:

Puerto Rico was hit so hard by insurance denials that the head of their baseball federation even threatened to pull out of the World Baseball Classic altogether. While that didn’t happen, the losses leave one of the tournament’s typical contenders thinner than expected.

Lindor suffered a hamate bone injury at the start of spring training that would have kept him off the roster anyway, but he was denied insurance coverage before the injury.

Venezuela, meanwhile, will miss Altuve after offseason foot surgery led him to be denied an insurance policy. Altuve’s Astros teammate, Carlos Correa, was denied the chance to play for Puerto Rico due to a lengthy injury history.