"Fans and players alike are excited for the event around the game, but a wrench has been thrown into the works as a number of players have been denied insurance coverage to participate in the tournament. As noted by Evan Drellich and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, the insurance concerns are significant enough that Team Puerto Rico has suggested they might need to withdraw from the tournament entirely due to eight to ten players on their expected roster being denied coverage."
"Puerto Rico's losses are headlined by team captain and Mets superstar Francisco Lindor, whose coverage was denied on the basis of a minor elbow procedure he underwent back in October. That denied coverage comes in spite of the fact that Lindor is expected to be ready for Spring Training and played in 160 of the Mets' games last year. Recent surgery and trips to the 60-day injured list are typically disqualifying for receiving insurance coverage, according to Drellich and Rosenthal,"
The 2026 World Baseball Classic faces roster uncertainty as multiple players have been denied insurance coverage to participate. Team Puerto Rico may need to withdraw because eight to ten expected roster players were denied coverage. Francisco Lindor was denied coverage due to a minor October elbow procedure despite being expected to be ready for Spring Training and having played 160 games last year. Insurers have tightened standards and raised costs after prior tournament injuries, adopting a harder-line stance on approvals. National Financial Partners classifies players with "chronic" injuries as harder to insure and applies criteria tied to long IL stints, missed games, and offseason surgery.
Read at MLB Trade Rumors
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