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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Playoffs-Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees Oct 8, 2025 Bronx, New York, USA New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge 99 reacts to striking during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Bronx Yankee Stadium New York USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBradxPennerx 20251008_pjc_ae5_788
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MLB, Baseball Herren, USA Playoffs-Toronto Blue Jays at New York Yankees Oct 8, 2025 Bronx, New York, USA New York Yankees right fielder Aaron Judge 99 reacts to striking during the eighth inning against the Toronto Blue Jays during game four of the ALDS round for the 2025 MLB playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Bronx Yankee Stadium New York USA, EDITORIAL USE ONLY PUBLICATIONxINxGERxSUIxAUTxONLY Copyright: xBradxPennerx 20251008_pjc_ae5_788
Essentials Inside The Story
- Insurance rules are keeping top MLB stars out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, denying fans major matchups.
- Miguel Rojas has spoken out against MLB’s insurance system, saying age and risk rules unfairly stop players from representing their countries.
- Past WBC injuries to stars like Edwin Díaz and Jose Altuve have made players and teams wary of playing without insurance. Is the risk worth it?
We expected this World Baseball Classic to be an event where fans could finally watch stars like Francisco Lindor and Miguel Rojas compete on the same field as Aaron Judge and Shohei Ohtani. Instead, insurance restrictions now threaten to take that moment away.
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At the center of the controversy is Miguel Rojas, who has refused to stay quiet and is openly calling out what he sees as double standards within MLB’s insurance process.
During a recent discussion, a host raised the issue directly, saying, “There’s going to be a superstar Venezuelan who wants to play for his country after 37. Thirty-seven is not that old. Are you really going to deny Aaron Judge the next time he’s eligible for the WBC at 37? I have a hard time believing that.”
Rojas echoed that frustration. “Same thing. That’s why I’m so frustrated,” he said. “I’m fighting for everybody else. I’m fighting this battle because the next generation is going to come.”
That frustration reflects a broader issue affecting the 2026 World Baseball Classic. Several top MLB stars have been ruled ineligible after being denied the insurance coverage required to protect their salaries in the event of an injury during the tournament.
Francisco Lindor was denied coverage following a right elbow cleanup procedure this offseason, which reportedly raised concerns during underwriting. Carlos Correa faced a similar outcome, as his recent injury history and missed time, combined with his $31.5 million salary, made insuring his participation difficult.
Jose Altuve also declined due to injury risk, a decision that comes in the wake of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, when he fractured his thumb after being hit by a pitch and missed 43 regular-season games.
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Under current insurer guidelines, players with recent surgeries or ongoing injury histories may be excluded from coverage altogether. As a result, national teams such as Puerto Rico and Venezuela are entering the tournament with noticeably weakened rosters.
The stakes are high because insurance is central to player participation. When a covered player is injured during WBC play, the official insurer reimburses the MLB team for the salary lost during missed games. Without that protection, teams are not obligated to pay those salaries, transferring the financial risk directly to the player.
While players are technically allowed to compete without insurance, doing so could mean risking tens of millions of dollars in guaranteed income. Teams can waive the insurance requirement, but very few are willing to absorb that level of financial exposure.
Ultimately, many players who are denied coverage choose to step away, not because they lack the desire to represent their countries, but because the financial and career risks are simply too great.
“I’m not fighting this fight because of myself, I’m fighting for everybody else.”
Miguel Rojas expresses his frustration over an insurance provision for this year’s WBC that prevents players from having their contracts insured once they turn 37. pic.twitter.com/DKNS7t6YwM
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) February 4, 2026
Star players are especially hesitant to play without insurance because of serious injuries sustained in past World Baseball Classics that significantly affected their seasons.
In 2023, Edwin Díaz tore a knee ligament while celebrating a win and missed the entire MLB season despite being insured. That same year, Jose Altuve broke his thumb after being hit by a pitch and missed the first 43 games of the regular season.
These incidents highlight how injuries sustained during the tournament can derail MLB seasons and create major financial consequences. Teams and players remember these examples, making them cautious about participating without adequate insurance.
As a result, players who are denied coverage typically choose not to play rather than risk their careers and guaranteed income.
Miguel Rojas was denied insurance due to a new rule that disqualifies contracts from coverage once a player turns 37 before the WBC begins. Rojas was set to turn 37 in February, just ahead of the 2026 tournament, rendering him ineligible under age-based underwriting guidelines.
The Dodgers opted not to waive the insurance requirement and assume the financial risk for his participation. Rojas expressed his disappointment, saying he was “definitely disappointed” that what he viewed as his last opportunity to represent Venezuela was blocked by insurance restrictions.
He added that he “didn’t know all those stipulations were going to be in place the way they are right now,” voicing frustration with the process.
Rojas questioned how a future scenario might play out, wondering whether a healthy, elite player like Aaron Judge would also be denied insurance at age 37. He emphasized that he remains fit to compete at the MLB level and continues to contribute meaningfully, yet was prevented from representing his country due to insurance rules.
He also raised concerns about why players from Venezuela and Puerto Rico appear to face these restrictions, while similar denials are not widely reported among players from the United States or Japan. Rojas said it “feels like it’s just happening with the players who want to represent their country from Latin America,” pointing to what he perceives as inconsistencies in how insurance policies are applied.
The emotional toll on both players and fans has been evident as major stars are sidelined for reasons unrelated to performance. Rojas, Lindor, Correa, and Altuve have all earned global recognition and significant salaries, yet insurance decisions now determine their ability to play internationally.
Puerto Rico has even considered withdrawing from the tournament if too many players remain ineligible, underscoring the broader impact of the issue. Fans have voiced their disappointment online, saying the situation “hurts the game” and leaves teams without their identity or star power.
The insurance controversy has become one of the defining storylines of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, demonstrating how financial risk assessments can reshape international competition.
Amid insurance problems with Latin American players, a Japanese player enters his team’s WBC roster
While Miguel Rojas navigates the WBC’s insurance maze without a safety net, Masataka Yoshida quietly secures his spot on Japan’s roster, record RBIs, and all. Baseball’s global stage hasn’t paused for red tape, proving that while some struggle for coverage, others just swing past the bureaucracy.
Masataka Yoshida’s name now tops Japan’s final roster for the 2026 World Baseball Classic. He is bringing his bat back to the global stage after his 13‑RBI record performance in 2023.
In that tournament, he hit .409 with a .531 on-base percentage and a .727 slugging percentage over seven games, leading all players with 13 RBIs and helping Japan win the title. His 2025 season with Boston was limited by a shoulder injury and IL stints. Yet he still earned a spot in Japan’s lineup.
Yoshida’s presence signals Japan’s intent to combine experience with proven production on the international stage.
Across the Caribbean and Latin America, the WBC insurance controversy has kept veterans like Miguel Rojas off their national roster. Because contracts for players age 37 and over aren’t being approved by insurers.
Rojas, entering his final MLB season, announced he won’t play in this WBC after his insurance was denied despite having a one‑year, $5.5 million deal and no IL time in 2025. This issue has also affected stars like Jose Altuve and Francisco Lindor, who were denied coverage and withdrawn from the tournament.
These insurance gaps highlight the tension between player age, risk, and tournament participation.
That contrast: Yoshida is welcomed onto Japan’s roster, while Rojas and others are kept out by insurance rules. This could play a big part in the outcome of the WBC in March.
Yoshida’s proven ability to produce nonetheless despite injury history adds depth to Japan’s lineup. Meanwhile, Venezuela and Puerto Rico risk missing key contributors due to coverage gaps, raising questions about competitive balance.
Fans watching the Classic will see how these roster differences play out on the field.