What at first was a routine news story about the day-to-day life with the Houston team has snowballed. The Astros are in the eye of the hurricane because of the contradictions within the organization on the subject of the World Baseball Classic (WBC)and the absence of Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa to compete in the tournament.
Over the weekend, Altuve stated that he had submitted the necessary documentation to be authorized to play for Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic, but had not received the requested permission. He indicated that he did not know what was going on “behind the scenes” about the refusal.
? Javier Gonzalez (@Astros_Coverage) January 27, 2026
Two days later it was revealed that Carlos Correa declined to play for Puerto Rico in the tournament. The version was then spread that Jim Crane, president of the Astros, asked him to concentrate only on Houston and spring training, in addition to reminding him that the roster was full of injured players in 2025.
Given the situation, Joe Espada, the team’s manager, held a press conference to clarify things. He answered questions from the press in order to specify that neither he nor the organization influenced the final decision of Altuve and Correa not to play in the WBC.
I’m never going to tell a player not to participate in a World Baseball Classic. Well, we can’t not allow a player to play in a World Baseball Classic
Espada pointed out that MLB prohibits its teams from preventing players from participating in the WBC. In this way, the manager distanced himself from the reports that placed him as the man who refused to allow Altuve and Correa to leave for fear of injury.
It was strongly rumored that the coaching staff wanted the entire squad to be focused on training to avoid any injuries, this is because last season the Astros’ locker room was a hospital.
The Astros’ trauma with Jose Altuve
The Astros have not forgotten the fractured thumb he suffered after being hit by a pitch in the last edition of the WBC. That injury had a negative impact on the team in the 2023 season; the player’s presence was fundamental on the field, but his absence forced moves that did not work in the attempt to reach the World Series. That’s why they don’t want to let him go
The injury nightmare in Houston
It had emerged that one of the most powerful reasons for Houston to refuse to give permission to Altuve and Correa to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Championship is the trauma the franchise is experiencing due to injuries in the 2025 season.The Astros set an MLB record for the most players on the injured list at the same time. They do not want to go through such a situation again, especially with Altuve and his thumb.
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