Do MLB stars pulling out of national teams highlight a bigger issue with international tournaments?
January 12, 2026
Do MLB stars pulling out of national teams highlight a bigger issue with international tournaments?
25 comments
Personally I don’t want my players playing for international teams. Don’t want them risking injury or getting extra wear and tear because of this thing, not when they’re a World Series contender. If my team was bad I wouldn’t care.
Personal reason: I live in Hollywood now!
Personal reason, that team ain’t going no where and I don’t want to risk it
He was probably told not too by the team lol
His son was sick last year so it hopefully it’s not related
These tournaments will always be secondary to MLB players. And they should be!
Lame
Personal reason: “I’m old”
Prob wants to stay healthy for the mlb season
These aren’t bowl games. I believe if he could play he would. TBH It’s just juiced up spring training and I don’t think anyone is afraid of getting injured. It’s still baseball.
Yes, unlike Soccer the international tournaments are an afterthought in baseball. I don’t even know if they get paid beyond room and per diem, and the jersey and equipment. International teams in soccer pay their players. It’s an expectation to play international tournaments and their club contracts explicitly understand this, while in baseball the MLB owners have tried to have clauses in the CBA allowing them to prevent players from playing. In countries like Japan they have a culture around their national team, and in smaller countries (DR, and PR even though it’s still part of the US) there is pride in beating the larger countries. No such culture or pride exists in the US.
I mean, without us knowing the real reason why he pulled out, we can’t really have this discussion, can we? Some of his kids have chronic illnesses, it could very well be that he pulled out to be able to support them. No one should fault parents who are there for their kids. No tournament should override that.
Freddie wouldn’t pull out of the WBC unless it was something serious. Dude has been adamant about wanting to play for Canada time and time again.
Freddie has earned the right to be taken at his word. He’s been a class act on and off the field. Trashing this guy without any idea what’s going on is idiotic.
Leave these guys alone in the off-season. I WATCHED a game a day during the regular season this year and I was worn out by the end. It’s a long season of traveling and being expected to play at the highest every day.
I’d want a break for awhile too.
Its not the olympics and thats why I’d pull out if it was inconvenient. Its a contrived tournament. Not the Olympics. If i was a ballplayer id really cherish playing in the olympics. Unfortunately its during the season so once you make it in mlb; the door closes.
No. I’d love all the best players but for many reasons I understand why that won’t always happen. I’ll still be watching regardless i really enjoy the WBC.
I hope he’s ok. I like Freddie.
It’s only one player for personal issues. If, say, four or five players dropped out then it’s a conversation to be had, but this, this isn’t that deep
Why are random words color highlighted in the statement?
The Dodgers play deep into the playoffs every year and have played at least 12 more games than the next closest NL team.
He might just want to recover a bit more for his professional obligations. I don’t fault anyone for opting out of the WBC due to the timing. It throws off your recovery as well as your ramp up process for the upcoming season.
He’s a veteran player who has played through injuries for a long time. He has had shortened offseasons due to being in the playoffs every year and going to Korea and Japan the last two seasons and had less time to spend with family. I don’t know what his reason is but there are many why someone wouldn’t want to or be able to play in an optional spring training tournament
Rest up, King!
No. It doesn’t. We have a lot of stars in the WBC. Things happen and I hope Freddie and his family are ok.
Maybe I’m in the minority here but I don’t see the big deal if players opt out of voluntary international competition. If they don’t want to do it, they shouldn’t have to feel obligated to participate. I would rather them want to be there and play hard. Of course it’s great to see the sports biggest stars compete head to head but it’s ok if they would rather not
25 comments
Personally I don’t want my players playing for international teams. Don’t want them risking injury or getting extra wear and tear because of this thing, not when they’re a World Series contender. If my team was bad I wouldn’t care.
Personal reason: I live in Hollywood now!
Personal reason, that team ain’t going no where and I don’t want to risk it
He was probably told not too by the team lol
His son was sick last year so it hopefully it’s not related
These tournaments will always be secondary to MLB players. And they should be!
Lame
Personal reason: “I’m old”
Prob wants to stay healthy for the mlb season
These aren’t bowl games. I believe if he could play he would. TBH It’s just juiced up spring training and I don’t think anyone is afraid of getting injured. It’s still baseball.
Yes, unlike Soccer the international tournaments are an afterthought in baseball. I don’t even know if they get paid beyond room and per diem, and the jersey and equipment. International teams in soccer pay their players. It’s an expectation to play international tournaments and their club contracts explicitly understand this, while in baseball the MLB owners have tried to have clauses in the CBA allowing them to prevent players from playing. In countries like Japan they have a culture around their national team, and in smaller countries (DR, and PR even though it’s still part of the US) there is pride in beating the larger countries. No such culture or pride exists in the US.
I mean, without us knowing the real reason why he pulled out, we can’t really have this discussion, can we? Some of his kids have chronic illnesses, it could very well be that he pulled out to be able to support them. No one should fault parents who are there for their kids. No tournament should override that.
Freddie wouldn’t pull out of the WBC unless it was something serious. Dude has been adamant about wanting to play for Canada time and time again.
Freddie has earned the right to be taken at his word. He’s been a class act on and off the field. Trashing this guy without any idea what’s going on is idiotic.
Leave these guys alone in the off-season. I WATCHED a game a day during the regular season this year and I was worn out by the end. It’s a long season of traveling and being expected to play at the highest every day.
I’d want a break for awhile too.
Its not the olympics and thats why I’d pull out if it was inconvenient. Its a contrived tournament. Not the Olympics. If i was a ballplayer id really cherish playing in the olympics. Unfortunately its during the season so once you make it in mlb; the door closes.
No. I’d love all the best players but for many reasons I understand why that won’t always happen. I’ll still be watching regardless i really enjoy the WBC.
I hope he’s ok. I like Freddie.
It’s only one player for personal issues. If, say, four or five players dropped out then it’s a conversation to be had, but this, this isn’t that deep
Why are random words color highlighted in the statement?
The Dodgers play deep into the playoffs every year and have played at least 12 more games than the next closest NL team.
He might just want to recover a bit more for his professional obligations. I don’t fault anyone for opting out of the WBC due to the timing. It throws off your recovery as well as your ramp up process for the upcoming season.
He’s a veteran player who has played through injuries for a long time. He has had shortened offseasons due to being in the playoffs every year and going to Korea and Japan the last two seasons and had less time to spend with family. I don’t know what his reason is but there are many why someone wouldn’t want to or be able to play in an optional spring training tournament
Rest up, King!
No. It doesn’t. We have a lot of stars in the WBC. Things happen and I hope Freddie and his family are ok.
Maybe I’m in the minority here but I don’t see the big deal if players opt out of voluntary international competition. If they don’t want to do it, they shouldn’t have to feel obligated to participate. I would rather them want to be there and play hard. Of course it’s great to see the sports biggest stars compete head to head but it’s ok if they would rather not