Puerto Rico Gears Up for World Baseball Classic

Team Rubio prepares for 2024 tournament with roster changes and pre-event schedule

Feb. 10, 2026 at 8:39am

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The Puerto Rican national baseball team, known as 'Team Rubio,' is getting ready for the upcoming World Baseball Classic. Players will report to Fort Myers, Florida on March 1st to begin their preparation schedule outlined by the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation (FBPR). The team will hold practices and scrimmages against the Boston Red Sox and Minnesota Twins before traveling to San Juan on March 4th.

Why it matters

Puerto Rico's participation in the World Baseball Classic is a source of national pride, but the team will be without several star players this year due to insurance policy limitations and a doping suspension. This highlights growing challenges around securing player availability for international baseball tournaments.

The details

Team Rubio will hold a practice session on March 2nd, followed by scrimmages against the Boston Red Sox on March 3rd and the Minnesota Twins on March 4th. They will then travel to San Juan, where they are placed in Group A alongside Canada, Colombia, Cuba, and Panama. However, the team will be missing key players like Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, and Javier Báez, who are unable to participate due to insurance issues or a doping suspension.

  • Players will report to Fort Myers, Florida on March 1st.
  • Team Rubio will hold a practice session on March 2nd.
  • The team will face the Boston Red Sox in a scrimmage on March 3rd.
  • Team Rubio will play the Minnesota Twins in a game on March 4th.
  • The team will travel to San Juan, Puerto Rico on the evening of March 4th.

The players

José Quiles

President of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation (FBPR).

Francisco Lindor

Star player who was unable to secure permission to play due to insurance policy limitations.

Carlos Correa

Star player who was unable to secure permission to play due to insurance policy limitations.

Javier Báez

Star player who is currently serving a two-year suspension stemming from a positive test for carboxi-THC conducted by the World Baseball and Softball Confederation (WBSC).

Martín 'Machete' Maldonado

Captain of Team Rubio.

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What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage private property in San Francisco.”

— Robert Jenkins, San Francisco resident

“Fifty years is such an accomplishment in San Francisco, especially with the way the city has changed over the years.”

— Gordon Edgar, grocery employee

The takeaway

The absence of key players highlights a growing concern within international baseball: the difficulty in securing player participation due to insurance and contractual obligations. This trend could impact the overall competitiveness of the World Baseball Classic and other international tournaments, underscoring the need for solutions to ensure the best talent can represent their countries.