Puerto Rico has long been a baseball power on the international scene and finished as runner-up in the WBC in both 2017 and 2013. As for the 2026 tournament, the United States is widely regarded as the favorites going in with a roster that includes the likes of Aaron Judge, Bobby Witt Jr., Tarik Skubal, Paul Skenes, and others.

The Dodgers’ new closer has participated in the WBC twice in the past. But he suffered a devastating knee injury during the 2023 tournament and missed the entire MLB season.

Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa, among other notable MLB players, were denied insurance coverage and thus are unlikely to compete in the upcoming tournament.

Baseball player insurance concerns potentially could cause one country to drop out of the World Baseball Classic. On Saturday, officials from Team Puerto Rico said they might withdraw the team from the tournament after learning eight of their 10 players would be denied coverage,

The inclusion of Yoán Moncada in the 2026 World Baseball Classic has stirred up controversy. While Cuba rejoices, Puerto Rico and Venezuela face frustrations due to their stars' absence over insurance issues.

Toronto Blue Jays right-hander Jose Berrios is in wait-and-see-mode about his participation in the World Baseball Classic.

Clement, 29, helped the Blue Jays reach the World Series while also setting a postseason record with his 30 hits. He finished the postseason with a .411 average, one homer, six doubles, nine RBIs, 13 runs scored and a .977 OPS.