Edwin Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers closing pitcher, announced he\u2019s pitching for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic after suffering a season ending injury during the 2023 WBC<\/p>\n
Cue the trumpets.<\/p>\n
Edwin Diaz, Los Angeles Dodgers\u2019 closing pitcher, is pitching for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, according to USA Today reporter Bob Nightengale<\/a>.<\/p>\n Diaz \u2014 who pitched for the Mariners from 2016-2018 and Mets from 2019-2025 \u2014 is a three-time all-star and three-time Reliever of the Year and signed with the Dodgers on a three-year, $69 million contract Dec. 12. Over his career, Diaz has a 2.82 ERA, 839 strikeouts and 253 saves in 519.1 innings pitched. <\/p>\n Sound the trumpets \ud83c\udfba<\/p>\n Edwin D\u00edaz returns for a third #WorldBaseballClassic<\/a> with Team Puerto Rico! pic.twitter.com\/GRwNMik3Kt<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 MLB (@MLB) February 2, 2026<\/a><\/p>\n Diaz was a part of the Team Puerto Rico 2023 WBC team, but suffered a complete patellar tendon tear in his right knee when celebrating Team Puerto Rico\u2019s victory over the Dominican Republic to advance to the quarterfinals. Diaz ended up missing the entire 2023 season because of this injury. <\/p>\n Diaz was also a member of Team Puerto Rico in the 2017 WBC, where they made it to the finals, but lost to the US 8-0. In the tournament, Diaz had a 3.38 ERA and nine strikeouts in 5.1 innings pitched.<\/p>\n An issue plaguing many players who want to participate in this year\u2019s tournament is getting their contract insured if they were to miss time during the regular season because of an injury sustained during the WBC.<\/p>\n In order to participate in the WBC, players must receive insurance so that the team won\u2019t have to pay the contract if a player were to miss time due to injury. Reasons a player wouldn\u2019t receive insurance include spending significant time on the injured list the previous season or having a \u201cchronic condition.\u201d<\/p>\n Scroll to continue reading<\/p>\n There have already been a handful of players who want to play for Team Puerto Rico but were denied insurance, such as third baseman Carlos Correa, catcher Victor Caratini and pitchers Jose Berrios, Emilio Pagan and Alexis Diaz \u2014 Edwin\u2019s brother. Mets Shortstop Francisco Lindor is supposed to be the captain of Team Puerto Rico, but was also denied insurance, so it\u2019s unclear if he will still participate. Diaz\u2019s Dodger teammate, shortstop Miguel Rojas, is unable to play for Team Venezuela for the same reasons.<\/p>\n These issues with insurance caused Jose Quiles, president of the Puerto Rico Baseball Federation, to consider withdrawing Team Puerto Rico from the tournament, according to ABC7<\/a>. In remains to be seen of what will come of that. <\/p>\n Team Puerto Rico begins WBC play on March 6 against Team Colombia at the Hiram Bithorn Stadium in San Juan, Puerto Rico.<\/p>\n