Los Angeles Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz will pitch for Team Puerto Rico in this year’s World Baseball Classic, the team announced Monday, as officials continue to work with Major League Baseball regarding player insurance concerns.
Frustration over insurance issues reached a peak on Saturday, when Team Puerto Rico learned eight of its 10 players — including captain Francisco Lindor — were denied coverage, leading team officials to threaten to withdraw from the tournament. Along with Lindor, Carlos Correa, Emilio Pagán, José Berríos, Victor Caratini and Alexis Díaz (Edwin’s brother) were also denied coverage.
¡Suenan las trompetas y se integra Heliot! 🇵🇷
El estelar cerrador Edwin Díaz y el guardabosque Heliot Ramos confirmados con #LosNuestros para el #WorldBaseballClassic 2026. pic.twitter.com/V98I87TWqe
— Federación de Béisbol 🇵🇷 (@BeisbolPR) February 2, 2026
Puerto Rico, which has finished as the runner-up in the tournament twice, is a host city this year. It’s slated to host Cuba, Canada, Colombia and Panama in the tournament’s pool play round at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan from March 6 to 11, should it elect to remain in the tournament. Team Puerto Rico will make an official decision regarding its participation by Tuesday.
Many player cases are under further review, with Major League Baseball and the Major League Baseball Players Association working with National Financial Partners, who brokers the insurance policy. Team rosters are due Tuesday and are scheduled to be announced officially on Thursday.
The news of Díaz’s selection is noteworthy not only because of Team Puerto Rico’s insurance woes, but because of the gruesome injury he suffered during the last WBC. After clinching a trip to the 2023 quarterfinals over rival Team Dominican Republic, Díaz, the New York Met’s closer at the time, tore his right patellar tendon. He required surgery, which sidelined him for the entirety of the 2023 MLB season. His injury, along with a fractured thumb sustained by Jose Altuve (which caused him to miss eight weeks to start the season) that same year, are seen as two precedents for why there have been stricter insurance policies this tournament.
Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million free-agent contract with the Dodgers in December, joins Nolan Arenado, Willi Castro and Heliot Ramos as confirmed major-leaguers on Team Puerto Rico. The team will be managed once more by 10-time All Star Yadier Molina. Carlos Beltrán, who was elected to Major League Baseball’s Hall of Fame in January, is the team’s general manager.
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