José Ramírez confirms his presence in the World Baseball Classic and clarifies that there is no conflict with Machado

Queens, New York. – The star third baseman for the Cleveland Guardians, José Ramírez, assured that he will be present “no matter what” in the 2026 World Baseball Classic, and made it clear that there is no conflict with Manny Machado regarding the starting position at third base for the Dominican team.

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“*Forget about the issue with Machado, I love him, I’m going to the Clásico, no matter what. Leave those problems and that dispute there, we are at peace and we are both going to be there*”, Ramírez declared when interviewed in New York by journalist Daniel Reyes. On his part, Machado himself also made it clear recently that his priority is the team and that he is willing to rotate if that helps achieve victory: “I told Albert (Pujols) that José has to play. If we have to rotate, whatever it takes, at the end of the day it’s about trying to win“. Machado, who has not been able to participate in previous editions of the Classic due to injuries, reaffirmed his commitment to the tournament: “If I’m healthy, the first one who’s going to be there is me“. Regarding José Ramírez, although he has not participated in previous editions of the tournament, everything indicates that he will be a key part of the roster in 2026. Third base will be one of the most competitive positions, with names like Machado and “Rafael Devers” also in the running. During the 2025 season, Ramírez dealt with minor injuries —a sprained ankle and a forearm contusion— but these do not affect his availability to represent the country. On the other hand, the player also referred to the situation involving his teammates Emmanuel Clase and Luis Ortiz, who are facing an MLB investigation related to alleged irregularities in sports betting. “The organization hasn’t fully informed us. We only know what’s in the media, but we don’t know the severity of the problems,” said Ramírez. “Of course I miss them. You want them to be here, for us all to be together,” he added, showing his support for both pitchers.