Astros Stars Correa and Altuve to Miss World Baseball Classic

Insurance issues prevent the players from representing their home countries in the upcoming tournament.

Jan. 27, 2026 at 3:31pm

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Houston Astros stars Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve will not participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic due to issues obtaining insurance coverage for the event. Both players had expressed interest in representing their home countries of Puerto Rico and Venezuela, respectively, but were unable to secure the necessary insurance policies to protect their lucrative MLB contracts in case of injury during the tournament.

Why it matters

The World Baseball Classic is a prestigious international baseball tournament that features many of the sport's biggest stars. The absence of Correa and Altuve, two of the Astros' most prominent players, is a significant blow to the event and to the national teams they would have represented. It also raises questions about the challenges MLB teams face in allowing their players to participate in these types of tournaments without risking major financial losses.

The details

According to reports, both Correa and Altuve were unable to obtain the required insurance coverage to play in the WBC. Correa said he was 'definitely upset' about not being able to participate after preparing hard in the offseason, but understood the 'business side' and the risk of playing without insurance on his $31.5 million contract. Altuve had also expressed a desire to play for Venezuela, having participated in the last two WBC tournaments, but the decision was ultimately made 'at the request of the Astros' due to the insurance issues.

  • The 2026 World Baseball Classic is scheduled for March.
  • Correa and Altuve informed the Astros of their inability to play in the WBC in late January 2026.

The players

Carlos Correa

A star shortstop for the Houston Astros who was unable to obtain insurance coverage to play for Puerto Rico in the upcoming World Baseball Classic.

Jose Altuve

An All-Star second baseman for the Houston Astros who will also miss the World Baseball Classic due to insurance issues, at the request of the Astros organization.

Jim Crane

The owner of the Houston Astros, who informed Correa of the insurance issues preventing him from playing in the WBC.

Omar López

The manager of the Venezuelan national team, which will hold workouts at the Astros' spring training complex in preparation for the World Baseball Classic.

Joe Espada

The manager of the Houston Astros, who acknowledged the risks of players participating in the WBC but expressed support for the tournament.

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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

“I signed the paper that I'm willing to go play, like I did in the last two WBCs. It's always an honor to represent my country. I played in the last one and the one before and I'm trying to do it in this one. I don't know what's going on behind the scenes but it seems like this year it's not up to me. Hopefully, everything clears out and I'll be able to go.”

— Jose Altuve

“There is risk, but there's risk anytime you step on a baseball field regardless of where you're at. I think those guys are training with looking forward to the opportunity of representing their country. And I've been very open about how I'm a big fan of that because I've done it twice. But we've also got to be smart in how we go about it. Those guys are smart in how they go about it and how they train, so we'll see how these things shape up.”

— Joe Espada, Manager, Houston Astros

What’s next

The Venezuelan national team will hold workouts at the Astros' spring training complex in Florida to prepare for the World Baseball Classic, and they are scheduled to play an exhibition game against the Astros on March 3.

The takeaway

The inability of Astros stars Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve to participate in the World Baseball Classic due to insurance issues highlights the challenges MLB teams face in allowing their top players to represent their home countries in these international tournaments. While the players are eager to don the colors of their national teams, the financial risk of potential injuries is a major concern for their MLB clubs.