Mike Trout ruled out of the 2026 World Baseball Classic due to lack of contractual insurance

LOS ANGELES. – The star outfielder for the Los Angeles Angels, Mike Trout, will not participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic after failing to secure his Major League contract to play in the tournament.

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Trout, 34, explained that playing the tournament without insurance would represent a significant risk to his $35 million salary for the 2026 season. Given the impossibility of obtaining a policy that protected his contractual relationship, the three-time American League Most Valuable Player chose not to join the United States team.

Although the American team was projected to feature figures like Aaron Judge, Byron Buxton and Pete Crow-Armstrong in the outfield, Trout's presence would have brought experience and leadership, especially after his outstanding performance in the 2023 World Baseball Classic.

In that edition, the veteran batter hit with authority, connected a home run, drove in seven runs and recorded an OPS of .962 in seven commitments, helping the United States advance to the championship game, where it fell to Japan. In recent years, Trout has faced various injuries that have limited his participation. During the five most recent seasons, he has only surpassed 82 games played in two and has not reached 130 games in any of them. Other renowned players have also been left out of the tournament for similar reasons. Stars Carlos Correa and Jose Altuve also did not obtain insurance coverage to represent Puerto Rico and Venezuela, respectively. Over 15 seasons and 1,648 games with the Angels, Trout has a batting average of .294, with 404 home runs, 325 doubles, and 1,018 RBIs, solidifying himself as one of the most influential players of his generation. The 2026 World Baseball Classic will be held from March 5 to 17 with the participation of 20 national teams. The United States won the title in the 2017 edition and was looking to once again have its main figure, something that will ultimately not be possible.