Carlos Correa said Tuesday he will not play for Team Puerto Rico in the World Baseball Classic after discussions with Houston Astros owner Jim Crane ended without insurance coverage for his contract.
Without insurance, Correa said an injury during the tournament would jeopardize his regular-season pay. Any missed MLB games tied to a WBC injury would place his salary at risk.
Correa is scheduled to earn $31 mn next season. His medical record complicated the underwriting. According to league sources, insurers viewed the contract as difficult to cover given his injury history.
The decision frustrated him. He said he spent the offseason preparing with the tournament in mind and already faced live pitching. He described the choice as painful, then practical.
He said the risk outweighed the upside. Playing without insurance, he added, wasn’t a bet worth taking, even with national pride on the line.
MLB and the players union require insurers to evaluate all WBC participants on 40-man rosters. If the insurer labels a player uninsurable, teams do not guarantee contracts for time missed due to tournament injuries unless ownership agrees otherwise.
The Los Angeles Times reported in 2023 similar outcomes. Clayton Kershaw failed to receive coverage and skipped the event. Miguel Cabrera also failed, yet played anyway after Detroit chose to guarantee his deal.
Crane plays a direct role in participation calls for several Astros players. League sources said second baseman Jose Altuve also will not suit up for Team Venezuela. MLB.com reported Monday that request came from the club.
Correa said he spoke with Crane Tuesday morning. During the call, he learned insurance coverage would not materialize.
Crane told him to focus on spring training and the Astros. Correa said Crane referenced the team’s injury issues during the 2025 season and the reason behind the trade bringing him to Houston.
A league source said Altuve’s situation stems from insurance as well. At the Astros’ FanFest, Team Venezuela manager Omar Lopez said insurers flagged many players with recent injuries under internal chronic designations.
Lopez said those players face additional protocols before approval. He said several cases remain unresolved, including Altuve’s.
Altuve underwent a minor right foot procedure during the offseason. He described himself as fully healthy and avoided the injured list last season.
His WBC history weighs heavy. During the 2023 tournament, a hit-by-pitch fractured his right thumb. He missed Opening Day and returned mid-May, finishing the year with 90 games played.
Both Correa and Altuve said Saturday they wanted to participate. Correa acknowledged unresolved logistics. Altuve said approval sat outside his control.
Altuve said he signed paperwork expressing his willingness to play, as he had in prior tournaments. He said representing Venezuela remains personal, then paused, unsure why this year feels different.
Before the 2023 season, Crane praised the WBC as positive for baseball’s global reach. He acknowledged the risk, even after losing Altuve for weeks, and said insurance softened the blow without replacing a core player.
This time, the Astros chose caution. According to Beinsure, rising premiums and stricter underwriting now shape WBC rosters as much as talent does.
The timing adds sting. Daikin Park will host pool play and a quarterfinal round in March. If Puerto Rico advances from Pool A, the quarterfinal would take place in Houston.
For Correa, it would have marked a return on a global stage in the city where he built his career and likely ends it. That moment stays unrealised.
