Astros Stars Correa, Altuve to Miss World Baseball Classic

Insurance issues prevent the Astros duo from playing in the upcoming tournament.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 8:55pm

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Houston Astros stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will both miss the upcoming World Baseball Classic due to issues securing injury insurance on their contracts. Correa and Altuve were unable to receive the necessary coverage from the tournament's insurer, putting their regular-season salaries at risk if they were to get injured while playing for their national teams.

Why it matters

The absence of Correa and Altuve, two of the Astros' top players, is a significant blow to the World Baseball Classic, which aims to showcase the best talent in international baseball. It also raises questions about the challenges professional athletes face in balancing national team commitments with their lucrative club contracts.

The details

Correa told The Athletic that after speaking with Astros owner Jim Crane, he will not play for Puerto Rico in the WBC, as he was unable to secure insurance on his $31 million contract with the Astros. Altuve is also skipping the tournament 'at the request' of the Astros due to his lack of insurance. The insurer for the WBC is agreed upon by MLB and the players union, and issues around insurability have impacted other star players in the past, such as Clayton Kershaw and Miguel Cabrera.

  • The World Baseball Classic is set to run from March 5-17, 2026.

The players

Carlos Correa

A star shortstop for the Houston Astros who was unable to secure insurance on his $31 million contract, putting his regular-season salary at risk if he were to get injured playing in the WBC.

Jose Altuve

The Astros' veteran second baseman who is also skipping the WBC at the request of the team due to insurance issues.

Jim Crane

The owner of the Houston Astros, who spoke with both Correa and Altuve about their decisions not to play in the WBC.

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What they’re saying

“I'm definitely upset because I've been preparing really hard this offseason to get better this year and be ready early so I can be ready for the WBC. I also understand the business side of things and that's too big of a risk to take, to play with no insurance.”

— Carlos Correa

“Jim called me and told me that he wants me to focus on the team and spring training, obviously he traded for me to win a championship here and we had too many injuries as a team [in 2025].”

— Carlos Correa

What’s next

The early rounds of the World Baseball Classic will take place in Tokyo, San Juan, Puerto Rico, and Houston, with the semifinals and championship game to be held in Miami.

The takeaway

The inability of star players like Correa and Altuve to secure insurance for the World Baseball Classic highlights the challenges professional athletes face in balancing national team commitments with their lucrative club contracts. This issue could impact the overall talent level and competitiveness of future WBC tournaments.