Dodgers News: Edwin Díaz Reunites With Puerto Rico Ahead of 2026 World Baseball Classic
Puerto Rico gains a key late-inning weapon with Díaz returning for the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
LOS ANGELES, CA—With the start of spring training less than two weeks away, with pitchers and catchers reporting to their respective camps the week of the Super Bowl, so too is the start of the upcoming 2026 World Baseball Classic.
While the WBC is dealing with multiple insurance issues, particularly with Team Puerto Rico, the Los Angeles Dodgers will have another member join the international tournament: All-Star closer Edwin Díaz.
Díaz will participate with Team Puerto Rico for the third time in his career. He is the fifth Dodger to be named to a WBC roster this year, joining Shohei Ohtani and Yoshinobu Yamamoto (Japan), Will Smith (USA), and Hyeseong Kim (Korea).
The former Mets closer was a participant during the 2023 World Baseball Classic, where the right-hander appeared in two games without allowing a run while punching out four batters and collecting one save.
However, that run was made famous for the wrong reasons, as during a celebration after defeating the Dominican Republic, Díaz suffered a complete patellar tear in his right knee while jumping on the mound and would miss the entire regular season.
The Dodgers have been very open about letting their star players participate in the WBC, and that goes the sme for Díaz, who just inked a massive 3-year, $69 million deal in December, the highest ever average annual value (AAV) for a relief pitcher.
Pitchers and catchers are set to report to Camelback Ranch on Thursday, February 13th, but those participating in the WBC must report to their teams by the 11th.
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