Representing your country should be the pinnacle of a career. In today’s baseball, it is just a secondary variable compared to contracts, insurers and risk balances. The exclusion of Francisco Lindor from the 2026 World Baseball Classic is not an isolated case or an administrative error: it is a brutal warning about where the sport is heading.
Katia Lindor, his wife, does not speak of logistics or clauses. She speaks of pain and helplessness. Of not being able to wear the Puerto Rican jersey not for lack of commitment, but because a system decided that the financial risk was too high.And that system no longer looks at flags.
Insurance as the invisible referee of El Clasico
The WBC’s insurer required full coverage for players on MLB’s 40-man roster, in order to protect guaranteed salaries in the event of injury. On paper it sounds logical. In practice, it kicked out Puerto Rico’s top players.
Lindor, after a clean-up of his right elbow at the end of the 2025 season, was considered “uninsurable”. His $341 million contract through 2031 outweighed any sporting background or proven leadership.
The pattern was repeated:
- Carlos Correa, $200 million contract until 2028, with injury history
- Javier Baez, $140 million until 2027, with recent back inflammation
All out. All for the same thing.
A sporting and symbolic blow for Lindor
Puerto Rico is not only losing talent. It is losing its competitive identity.Lindor was captain in 2023 and hit .450, with six runs scored, five driven in and a game-winning triple. Correa and Baez brought hierarchy, experience and character to the big stage.
Without them, the midfield is weakened and expectations plummet. El Clasico, which was born to exalt national pride, is beginning to look too much like a competition conditioned by medical balance sheets.
Keys to the conflict between Lindor and the Puerto Rican national team
- Lindor was excluded by WBC insurer’s refusal
- His $341M contract raised the level of caution
- Correa and Baez also left out for similar reasons
- Puerto Rico even considered withdrawing from the tournament
- Alternative coverage was not achieved despite advanced negotiations
Meanwhile, the Mets breathe a sigh of relief
Here’s the awkward part. For the New York Mets, the news is almost a blessing. After the 2025 collapse – when they went from 96.2% playoff probability to out – the last thing they want is to see their franchise player expose himself before March.
A more rested Lindor, after playing 160 games and signing a historic 30-30, is a better investment than a national hero injured in February.
Club baseball understands it. International baseball pays for it.
El Clasico is no longer about countries, it’s about contracts
The Lindor case exposes an uncomfortable truth: the World Baseball Classic is played only if insurance allows it.
Until that clash between patriotism and business is resolved, the tournament will continue to lose something essential.
When representing your country depends on a policy, the flag is no longer a priority.
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