Governor joins calls for Puerto Rican stars to play in the World Baseball Classic

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor celebrates his home run against the Florida Marlins at Citi Field in Queens on Friday, April 7, 2023. News over the weekend that team captain Lindor and at least seven other Team Puerto Rico players had been denied insurance coverage to play in the World Baseball Classic was received with shock and dismay on the island. (Hilary Swift/The New York Times)

With final team rosters due Tuesday, denial of insurance coverage for at least 8 players jeopardizes Team PR’s participation

By THE STAR STAFF

Upon learning over the weekend that some Major League Baseball players were not authorized to play by the company that insures the league’s teams, Gov. Jenniffer González Colón joined the calls for Team Puerto Rico, known locally as “Team Rubio,” to be able to play in the World Baseball Classic (WBC) in March.

“I spoke with José Quiles, president of the Baseball Federation, and Tuti Muñoz, promoter of the Caribbean Classic, an event in which the government of Puerto Rico is the main sponsor,” the governor said. “Given the legitimate request of the Federation president, we join his petition to reconsider the authorization so that our star players can participate.”

Puerto Rico is one of the global tournament’s first-round hosts, with Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Panama slated to join Team Puerto Rico in pool play at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey from March 6 to March 11. The WBC runs from March 5 through the final on March 17.

The governor added that Puerto Rico eagerly awaits seeing its complete team on the field.

“We believe that the denial of authorization for seven of our athletes should be immediately re-evaluated,” she said. “We reaffirm our commitment to sports and to the pride of our island, supporting those who represent us with talent and dedication.”

González Colón said she hopes to speak with Jim Small, president of the World Baseball Classic, to seek alternatives.

“We will be awaiting the final decision and will do everything in our power to ensure that our players are able to participate,” she said.

The governor noted that she is also considering other actions.

Quiles, the Baseball Federation president, anticipated the possibility that the Puerto Rican team might not participate in the WBC.

“That option is on the table,” Joey Sola, Team Puerto Rico’s operations manager, told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal on Saturday. “It obviously will depend upon if we can figure out the substitute players.”

The Athletic report had the number of Team Puerto Rico players denied coverage at eight to 10.

New York Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor, who is expected to be ready for spring training, was denied coverage based on two right elbow surgeries he underwent in the past three offseasons.

Also not cleared to play were third baseman Carlos Correa (Houston Astros), right-handed pitcher José Berríos (Toronto Blue Jays) and catcher Víctor Caratini (Minnesota Twins), though the cases of Correa, Berríos and several others are under review, Sola told The Athletic.

According to The Athletic, “[t]he heightened insurance concerns stem from injuries to José Altuve and Edwin Díaz during the last WBC in 2023, which created aftershocks that will lead to fewer star players on the field” in this year’s edition of the tournament.

“Since the last tournament, insurance for major league players has grown considerably more expensive, and the league’s insurer has become more stringent about which players it approves,” The Athletic report said, citing “people briefed on the underwriting process who were not authorized to speak publicly.”

The criteria by which the insurer reviews a contracted player’s eligibility for coverage varies from case to case depending on that player’s injury history, along with other factors including age.

Some in Puerto Rico have suggested that players from the island are not being treated on equal footing compared to players from other nations who have dealt with injuries in the recent past. Sola also pointed out the difficulties created due to the decisions on insurance coming just days before final team rosters are due. (Puerto Rico, among the smaller jurisdictions fielding teams in the WBC, has a smaller player population from which to search for replacements). The deadline for the submission of rosters is Tuesday, with the official announcement slated for Thursday.

“In some ways, I think it’s a little bit unfair,” Sola told The Athletic, adding that he knows “the WBC isn’t in those decisions. It’s the insurance companies.” “Especially when you are three days from submitting your final roster. Who in the world would think Lindor wasn’t on the [eligible] list? You wait until the last weekend to get an answer on Lindor? C’mon.”

San Juan Mayor Miguel Romero Lugo, meanwhile, echoed the calls for reconsideration and fairness.

“Puerto Rico deserves to compete with its full team and on equal terms,” he posted on Facebook. “After years of hosting the World Baseball Classic, it’s not fair that administrative, permit, or insurance issues are limiting the participation of our players.”

The mayor pointed out that “Puerto Rico submitted its roster more than two months ago, and only now are we being notified of the rejection of key players.”

“Even Francisco Lindor, previously announced as the team captain, is now facing restrictions that prevent him from representing Puerto Rico,” Romero said in the post.

“From San Juan, we are in direct communication with the local organizers and the president of the World Baseball Classic with the goal of ensuring that Puerto Rico can field its complete team and that we are treated with the fairness we deserve,” the mayor added.

“Our stadium is ready.

“Our fans are ready.

“Now we need our players to be able to be on the field as well,” Romero said.

Houston Astros’ Carlos Correa (1) and José Altuve (27) celebrate after winning Game 6 of the American League Championship Series against the Boston Red Sox at Minute Maid Park in Houston, Friday, Oct. 22, 2021. Correa was not cleared by Major League Baseball’s insurer to play in the World Baseball Classic, although his case, along with other players’, is said to be under review. (Annie Mulligan/The New York Times)