The World Baseball Classic kicks off in just a couple of weeks, with the Philadelphia Phillies being well represented. It's a special kind of excitement when it comes to the international tournament, and Phillies fans are especially excited to witness their players competing for their respective countries. Phillies reliever José Alvarado was initially announced as playing for Team Venezuela but has since been removed from the roster.
The 2026 tournament would have been Alvarado's third time joining Team Venezuela, but he's being forced to sit out after not being approved by insurance. The 30-year-old left-hander, who is currently in Phillies camp in Clearwater, will now have to sit on the sidelines to watch his countrymen play for WBC gold.
José Alvarado's absence from WBC will stir mixed feelings for Phillies fans
This year's WBC has caused quite the commotion when it comes to MLB stars getting denied insurance coverage. National Financial Partners, a partner of MLB, is the insurer for the tournament and responsible for covering players' salaries in the event they get injured (subscription required). The insurance is also pricier than it was in 2023, making players like Alvarado ineligible to play.
The broker takes a look at injury history, which is what most likely disqualified Alvarado from attending. It can be a confusing time with the thrill of playing in the WBC coupled with the agony of previous injuries causing insurance issues. Don't forget that Alvarado finished the 2025 season on the 15-day IL with a strained left forearm.
Alvarado officially shared the news on Instagram:
"Unfortunately, I will not be able to participate in the upcoming World Baseball Classic representing Venezuela, as the insurance for my participation was not approved. This is a situation that is beyond my control and without a doubt, it fills me with sadness and is difficult to understand," part of Alvarado's message reads.
The good news for Phillies fans is that Alvarado is currently healthy. Phillies manager Rob Thomson commented on Alvarado missing out on the WBC over the weekend, per Lochlahn March of The Philadelphia Inquirer.
“All I can tell you is what his health is with us, and he's fine,” Thomson said, per March. “I don't know what goes into the insurance thing, but he's fine with us.”
It's brutal for Phillies fans to miss out on seeing the fiery reliever taking the mound in the WBC, but it's one less player to worry about. The Phillies will still have Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, and 12 other players from their organization filling out multiple rosters. Insurance barred numerous notable players from the tournament, and Alvarado is just one of the unlucky ones.
It's a risk that the Phillies now don't have to worry about, despite Alvarado's willingness to play. He'll still be pitching in spring training, getting ready for the regular season. He'll be an important piece of a loaded Phillies bullpen that will be happy to have him back after a PED suspension that shortened his season to only 28 games in 2025, in which he pitched to a 3.81 ERA. The Phillies are happy to keep him in camp and work him into possibly his best year yet in 2026.