Dodgers News: Freddie Freeman Withdraws from Team Canada in Upcoming ’26 WBC
Freddie Freeman, the 2024 World Series MVP, will not be playing for Team Canada in the upcoming 2026 WBC.
LOS ANGELES, CA—While the 2026 Major League Baseball season is a little less than a month away, with multiple teams reporting to their respective camps in either Arizona or Florida in mid-February, that also means the 2026 World Baseball Classic is fast approaching as well.
As such, over the last several weeks, multiple players across the league have announced their participation in the upcoming international tournaments, including several members of the Los Angeles Dodgers.
However, one name that won’t be joining the dance is nine-time National League All-Star Freddie Freeman, who announced he has withdrawn from Team Canada for personal reasons.
Freeman has represented Team Canada in the WBC twice, first in 2017 and again in 2023. Although he is an American citizen, he was eligible to play for Canada because his mother was a Canadian citizen.
Heading into this offseason, Freddie was eager to represent Canada again, considering it an honor. However, due to personal reasons, he has now decided to withdraw from the 2026 WBC, as reported by Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.
Freeman played in six World Baseball Classic games- three in 2023 and three in 2017. He has four singles, a walk, 21 at-bats, two RBIs, and three runs, with a .190/.227/190 slash line, and the team is 2-5 in his combined years with the club.
Over the last two seasons, Freeman has dealt with a few minor injuries, highlighted by the ankle injury he suffered at the tail end of the 2024 regular season, which ultimately needed offseasons surgery.
That ankle injury would flare up again at the start of the 2025 season after a mishap at his home, where he fell in the shower.
Freeman is expected to be ready for spring training and Opening Day unless there’s some undisclosed procedure the 2020 MVP underwent in the offseason.
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