Tigers' Riley Greene Declines 2026 World Baseball Classic Invite

Outfielder opts to focus on Tigers' spring training and MLB season instead of playing for Puerto Rico or waiting for Team USA call-up.

Feb. 3, 2026 at 9:07pm

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Detroit Tigers outfielder Riley Greene has declined an invitation to play for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, choosing instead to remain focused on the Tigers' spring training and the start of the 2026 MLB season. Greene had hoped to receive an invite to play for Team USA, but that call never came, leading him to ultimately sit out the WBC entirely.

Why it matters

Greene is one of the Tigers' top young stars, coming off a strong 2025 season where he hit 36 home runs and drove in 111 RBIs. By skipping the WBC, the Tigers will have Greene fully rested and locked in for the start of the 2026 MLB season, which is seen as a positive for the team.

The details

Rather than commit to playing for Puerto Rico, Greene opted to wait and see if he would receive an invitation to play for Team USA. When that call from USA Baseball never came, Greene decided to forgo the WBC altogether in order to focus on Tigers' spring training and the start of the 2026 MLB season.

  • The 2026 World Baseball Classic runs from March 5 through March 17.

The players

Riley Greene

A 25-year-old outfielder for the Detroit Tigers who is coming off a strong 2025 season where he hit 36 home runs and drove in 111 RBIs.

Detroit Tigers

The MLB team that Riley Greene plays for, based in Detroit, Michigan.

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What’s next

With Greene opting out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic, the focus will now shift to his preparation for the upcoming Tigers season and whether he receives an invite to play for Team USA in a future WBC tournament.

The takeaway

Greene's decision to skip the 2026 WBC highlights the difficult choices top MLB players sometimes face when it comes to representing their country on the international stage. While he had the opportunity to play for Puerto Rico, Greene stayed true to his desire to potentially don the USA jersey, even if it meant sitting out the event entirely this year.