Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas will not be able to play for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic due to “insurance claim problems”, said Rojas on his Instagram story on Thursday, as reported by Bob Nightengale of USA Today.
Rojas, who became a World Series Icon in the Dodgers 2025 championship run after his heroics hitting a game tying home run in Game 7 of the World Series last season with Los Angeles on the brink of elimination, reportedly cannot participate in the WBC due to an “inability to receive insurance”, in which he was in fact denied by the league, according to Nightengale.
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Rojas Denied Insurance Because Of His Age
Beat writer Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic stated how “league sources said age was the primary reason for Rojas being denied insurance, which also includes factoring recent injury history, in which Rojas had hernia surgery at the end of the Dodgers 2024 championship season”, states Ardaya.
Rojas is soon to be 37 years old next month and announced he’ll retire following the 2026 season, which was announced after he agreed to a one year contract with the Dodgers for this upcoming season. Rojas is known for having an “impactful veteran presence in the clubhouse” and leadership qualities that mean a lot to the Dodgers organization, hence the contract extension.
Rojas released a statement on Instagram in Spanish in which he expressed his disappointment for being unable to participate in the World Baseball Classic for Venezuela, stating that; “Today is very sad. A real pity to not be able to represent my country and put this flag on my chest. On this occasion, age just wasn’t a number”, stated Rojas.
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Several MLB Players Across The League Being Denied Insurance For WBC
This is a common occurrence over the last few days: MLB players across baseball are being denied insurance claims and, therefore, cannot participate in the WBC. Other MLB players denied insurance claims include Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, infielder Carlos Correa of the Astros, Francisco Lindor of the Mets, and Jose Berrios of the Blue Jays, states Nightengale.
Nightengale reports that there are previous instances of this happening, such as with Team USA participant and former left-handed pitcher for the Dodgers, Clayton Kershaw, who Nightengale states can now take part in the WBC since he retired after the 2025 season, but had previously dealt with “denied insurance claims”, states Nightengale.
It also needs to be mentioned that Nightengale further states how there’s a league rule in which “every MLB team must have an insurance policy on the player participating in the WBC in case they get hurt and results in them missing games during the regular season”, says Nightengale.
We’ve seen injuries to MLB players in recent WBCs, such as to Astros second baseman Jose Altuve, and a season-ending knee injury to Mets closer Edwin Diaz after celebrating Puerto Rico’s team win in the 2023 WBC.
For many Major League players, playing for their home country gives them a sense of pride, especially within Latin America, but there’s also a risk in terms of bodily harm playing in these games. The World Baseball Classic also only happens every four years, so it’s similar to the Olympics in how it’s viewed in baseball terms and in players’ desire to participate.
The acceptance or denial of a player obviously takes into consideration their age and overall health, as well as any recent injury history or concerns. For example, Mets shortstop Francisco Lindor was denied insurance for this year’s WBC due to “undergoing an elbow procedure” this offseason, according to the MLBPA and reported by Jason Foster of MLB.com.
For Rojas and the Dodgers, however, and several other players across Major League Baseball, the risk is just too significant.
Dodgers World Series Hero Can’t Play In World Baseball Classic