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Berríos Denied WBC Pitching Clearance
11 Mar
Summary
- Pitcher José Berríos was initially set to join Puerto Rico's WBC team.
- Insurance issues related to a previous injury prevented Berríos' participation.
- This prevents Berríos from continuing his WBC tournament streak.
Puerto Rico's World Baseball Classic aspirations faced a setback as pitcher José Berríos was denied clearance to join the team for the quarterfinals. Initially slated to participate, General Manager Carlos Beltrán announced the decision on Tuesday, March 11, 2026, after the team's manager had spoken to reporters. The primary obstacle cited was insurance complications arising from an injury Berríos sustained last season.
This development means Berríos will be unable to extend his WBC participation streak, which began in 2013 when he was 19 years old. Over his previous WBC appearances, he pitched 9.2 innings, allowing 16 runs and striking out a dozen batters. Despite this, Berríos had expressed a strong desire to play, aiming for international redemption.
Berríos has shown promising form in spring training with the Toronto Blue Jays, posting a 3.16 ERA over 148 exhibition innings historically. While his past regular-season performance in Toronto has been steady, with 30 or more starts in full seasons and a 4.17 ERA last season, this insurance issue has ultimately prevented his WBC inclusion.
