New Dodgers closer Edwin Díaz has officially committed to play in the World Baseball Classic for Team Puerto Rico next month.
That’s assuming the country won’t make good on its threat to pull out of the tournament after a wave of player withdrawals over insurance issues.
In recent weeks, the biggest storyline surrounding the WBC has been star players announcing they would not be able to compete, often because they were unable to get their MLB contracts insured against potential injuries during the event.
The withdrawals had especially decimated Team Puerto Rico, which lost Francisco Lindor, Carlos Correa, José Berrios, Emilio Pagan and others due to insurance issues.
On Saturday, the president of the baseball federation publicly floated the idea that the team could withdraw from the triennial tournament entirely — even though group stage matches are scheduled on home soil next month.
But the addition of Díaz, arguably the best closer in Major League Baseball, could alleviate those concerns.
The right-hander is a three-time All-Star with 253 career saves. He pitched a 1.63 ERA last year with the New York Mets before signing a three-year, $69 million contract with the Dodgers this offseason.
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During the most recent WBC in 2023, Díaz became an example of why insurance policies are a requirement for MLB players. After scoring a win against the Dominican Republic, which clinched Puerto Rico’s spot in the quarterfinals, he tore his right patellar tendon during an on-court celebration.
That injury forced Díaz, who at the time was just months away from signing a $102 million deal with the Mets, to miss the entire subsequent 2023 MLB season. But because his contract was insurance, the Mets were reimbursed for his salary for the time he missed.
According to a recent report from The AthleticDíaz’s injury in 2023 is at least part of the reason why it has proven more difficult for players to obtain insurance policies in the lead-up to this WBC.
But when it came to Díaz himself – who has played 116 games in his two seasons since returning from injury – re-purchasing insurance apparently didn’t prove to be a hindrance.
He is back in the WBC and will become the fifth Dodgers entrant for next month’s event.
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