Edwin Díaz Returns to Team Puerto Rico for 2026 WBC Amid Insurance Standoff
The trumpets are sounding once again - Edwin Díaz is back.
The Dodgers’ newly signed closer is officially suiting up for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the team announced Monday. It’s a major development not just because of Díaz’s star power, but because it comes in the middle of a tense standoff between Puerto Rican officials and Major League Baseball over insurance coverage for players.
Right now, Team Puerto Rico is staring down a major roadblock: eight of its 10 selected players - including team captain Francisco Lindor - were denied insurance coverage, putting their WBC participation in jeopardy. That group also includes Carlos Correa, Emilio Pagán, José Berríos, Victor Caratini, and Edwin’s brother, Alexis Díaz. The denials prompted team officials to threaten withdrawal from the tournament altogether, escalating the situation heading into a critical week.
Puerto Rico, which has twice finished as the WBC runner-up, is slated to host Pool D action in San Juan at Hiram Bithorn Stadium from March 6-11. Cuba, Canada, Colombia, and Panama round out the group. But whether Puerto Rico actually takes the field remains uncertain - the team has set Tuesday as its deadline to decide whether it will move forward with participation.
Behind the scenes, MLB and the MLB Players Association are working with National Financial Partners - the group that brokers the tournament’s insurance policy - to try to resolve the situation. With final rosters due Tuesday and public announcements scheduled for Thursday, the clock is ticking.
Díaz’s commitment to play carries extra weight because of what happened the last time he wore the Puerto Rico jersey. After closing out a win over the Dominican Republic in the 2023 WBC, Díaz suffered a devastating injury during the postgame celebration - a torn right patellar tendon that required surgery and wiped out his entire MLB season. It was a crushing blow for the Mets, who had just signed him to a long-term deal, and it became a flashpoint in the ongoing debate over the risks of international competition.
Díaz wasn’t alone that year. Jose Altuve also went down during the WBC with a fractured thumb that cost him the first two months of the 2023 season. Those two high-profile injuries are widely seen as the catalyst for the stricter insurance policies now being enforced for the 2026 tournament.
Still, Díaz is back. After signing a three-year, $69 million deal with the Dodgers in December, the 29-year-old right-hander is ready to represent his island once again - injury history and all.
And he’s not the only big leaguer confirmed for Puerto Rico’s roster. Nolan Arenado, Willi Castro, and Heliot Ramos are also on board.
The team will once again be managed by Yadier Molina, the 10-time All-Star and longtime Cardinals catcher who took the reins in the last WBC. Carlos Beltrán, fresh off his Hall of Fame induction in January, is serving as the team’s general manager.
There’s still plenty to sort out before the tournament begins, and the insurance battle is far from over. But for now, Puerto Rico has its closer. The trumpets are playing - and Edwin Díaz is ready to answer the call.