Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas will not participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic because of insurance issues with his contract
Miguel Rojas, Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop, will not play for Team Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic due to insurance issues, Fabian Ardaya of The Athletic reported today.
The biggest concern for Rojas is his age, the Athletic reported. Rojas turns 37 in February and, despite not being injured at all in 2025, did spend time on the injured list in 2023 and 2024.
In order to participate in the WBC, players must receive insurance so that the team won’t have to pay the contract if a player were to miss time due to injury. Reasons a player wouldn’t receive insurance include spending significant time on the injured list the previous season or having a “chronic condition.”
Houston Astros second baseman Jose Altuve and third baseman Carlos Correa also did not receive insurance and will not play in the WBC.
Rojas resigned with the Dodgers on a one-year $5.5 million contract Dec. 5 and announced he will retire at the end of the season. He announced on his personal Instagram his disappointment in not being able to play in this year’s WBC.
Miguel Rojas no estará en el equipo de Venezuela para el Clásico Mundial.
No le fue aprobado el seguro médico, dado el historial de lesiones y la edad. Tendrá 37 años al comienzo del torneo. pic.twitter.com/bpZzwTN4Ir
— Daniel Álvarez-Montes (@DanielAlvarezEE) January 29, 2026
Rojas wanted to participate in the 2023 WBC as well, but opted out after Dodgers infielder Gavin Lux tore his ACL in Spring Training, moving Rojas into the everyday shortstop role.
Omar López, Astros bench coach and Team Venezuela manager, said at the Astros FanFest, it’s been more difficult to get players insured for this year’s tournament than in previous ones.
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“Unfortunately, a lot of players were hurt or for some reason went to the IL in the previous season and automatically, they’re getting into what they call ‘chronic’ injuries,” López said.
In 2025 with the Dodgers, Rojas slashed .262/.318/.397 with a .715 OPS, 100 OPS+, seven home runs and 27 RBIs with a 1.7 fWAR in 114 games. Rojas’ biggest moment of the season came in game seven of the World Series when he hit a game-tying home run in the top of the ninth inning as the Dodgers went on to win the game and their second consecutive title in extras.
THE NINE HITTER MIGUEL ROJAS COMES UP WITH THE SWING OF HIS LIFE TO TIE IT UP IN THE NINTH 😱
TORONTO IS STUNNED 😳
(via @MLB) pic.twitter.com/6yM05PUwBQ
— ESPN (@espn) November 2, 2025