Team Puerto Rico to play Bosox, Twins in pre-WBC tune-ups

San Francisco Giants outfielder and Humacao native Heliot Ramos was confirmed earlier this week for the Team Puerto Rico roster in the 2026 World Baseball Classic. (Instagram via sfgiants)

By THE STAR STAFF

Team Puerto Rico will play a pair of exhibition tune-up games against major league squads ahead of the opening of the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC) on March 5.

Puerto Rico is slated to play the Boston Red Sox on Tuesday, March 3 at 6:05 p.m. Eastern Time, and the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday, March 4 at 1:05 p.m. ET. Both games are scheduled to be played in Ft. Myers, Florida, with the March 3 game at JetBlue Park and the March 4 contest at Lee Health Sports Complex, according to mlb.com.

After some uncertainty caused by the denial of insurance coverage for up to eight players on the Team Puerto Rico roster, the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation (FBPR by its initials in Spanish) confirmed the national team’s participation in the WBC earlier this week, according to local reports.

Puerto Rico is one of four hosts of the tournament’s opening pool play stage. Pool A consists of Puerto Rico, Canada, Colombia, Cuba and Panama, with games to be played at Hiram Bithorn Stadium in Hato Rey.

Puerto Rico opens against Colombia on Friday, March 6 at 6 p.m. ET. Although the WBC’s first full slate of official games is March 5, one game taking place on March 4 will count when Australia hosts Chinese Taipei at 10 p.m. ET in the Pool C opener in Tokyo.

Final WBC team rosters were due on Tuesday, and were to be officially announced on Thursday at 7 p.m. As of press time Thursday, the known confirmed players for Team Puerto Rico were infielder Nolan Arenado, utilityman Willi Castro, outfielder Heliot Ramos, and pitchers Edwin Díaz (closer), Fernando Cruz, Yacksel Ríos, Jovani Morán and Luis Quiñones, according to mlb.com and the FBPR. The list of confirmed players at mlb.com included, at midday Thursday, team captain Francisco Lindor, but his insurance case, along with those of fellow marquee players Carlos Correa and Javier Báez, as well as several others, were reported earlier in the week to be under review.