2023 Got It Right
Let’s take a look back to March 21, 2023. The final game of the World Baseball Classic. Japan leading the USA by one run in the top of the 9th. Mike Trout at the plate. His then-teammate, Shohei Ohtani, on the mound. A moment now immortalized in world baseball history. At the time, baseball appeared to have finally cracked the code: a tournament that can capture global attention the same way the World Cup does for soccer.
The numbers backed up the hype. The 2023 tournament broke attendance and viewership records, with total tournament attendance reaching a record 1,306,414 fans across all venues. The first round matchup between the USA and Mexico set the WBC single-game attendance record, drawing more than 47,000 fans. The final game between the United States and Japan peaked with more than 60 million viewers globally.
Beyond just the numbers, the tournament created genuine cultural moments. Randy Arozarena became an icon in Mexico seemingly overnight, thanks to his celebrations, clutch homeruns, and stellar outfield catches. After an improbable run in the qualifiers, the Czech Republic national team was just happy to be there, but they managed a victory against China, which secured their spot in the next tournament. It was moments like these with national pride on the line that established the World Baseball Classic as much more than just an exhibition. The stakes were real.
The 2023 World Baseball Classic proved that international baseball can be meaningful and that people will tune in. The question now is whether 2026 will build on that momentum or let it slip away.
A Troubled Build-Up
So far, it’s looking like the latter.
The 2026 tournament has everything going for it. A global audience, a proven format, and three years to build on the hype and anticipation. Instead, MLB teams and insurance complications have denied a growing list of star players, spoiling the months leading up to the tournament. Headlining names like Francisco Lindor, Bryce Harper, Elly de la Cruz, and more have been denied or are still waiting on a decision, with final rosters due on February 3rd, 2026. A major issue is the lack of transparency around the approval process. Fans are left guessing whether their favorite players are being blocked by team decisions, insurance complications, injury concerns, or something else entirely. What should be baseball’s greatest showcase is being treated as an afterthought by MLB and the MLBPA.
Puerto Rico Threatens Withdrawal
The situation has become so dire that Puerto Rico, one of the host nations, threatened to withdraw from the event, citing complaints that too many of their players were being denied participation, and seeking fair treatment and transparency from MLB and the WBC. Many Puerto Rican players had been denied, presumably due to insurance-related issues, but after the threat of withdrawal, a few of their cases were reviewed and approved, including that of Dodgers star closer Edwin Díaz. Díaz is a particularly contentious case: While celebrating a pivotal victory over the Dominican Republic in 2023, Díaz, then with the Mets, suffered a devastating knee injury that ended his entire 2023 season. This injury was the rallying cry for critics of the WBC, with many fans arguing that their players shouldn’t be risking injury in what they deem as a glorified exhibition. But Díaz himself was unwavering: “If I had a chance to play again with my country, I would do it again.”
The Bigger Picture
Baseball is squandering a big opportunity coming off the massive success of the 2023 tournament. Baseball desperately needs younger fans, both domestically and internationally, and the WBC is the clearest path to finding them. Other sports have proven the model, most notably soccer, where international tournaments generate more buzz than many of the major club competitions, fueled by national pride and storylines that transcend the sport. If baseball wants to remain relevant, not just as America’s pastime, but as a growing global game, it needs to embrace the moment. Instead, it is actively undermining it.
The path forward is not simple, but the current system clearly is not working. Should there be mandatory participation windows for international events, like in soccer? Should insurance policies be standardized across all 30 MLB teams? One thing is clear: MLB and the MLBPA must negotiate WBC protections into the next CBA. These questions must be answered before the next tournament to avoid the stream of disappointment and uncertainty that fans have been exposed to during the months leading up to the 2026 tournament. It would be a significant scandal if Messi or Ronaldo were blocked from representing their countries in their prime. Baseball needs to treat the WBC with the same gravity.
The 2026 tournament starts in weeks, and rosters were officially announced on Thursday, February 5th. Meanwhile, fans can only watch as their favorite players get scratched from provisional lineups. Baseball has already proven it can capture the world’s attention; now it just needs to get out of its own way. If it can’t, the WBC will not only fall short of 2023’s success, but it will prove that MLB prioritizes protecting assets more than growing the game.
Featured Photo: Winston Chen on Unsplash
