Eury Perez reveals surprising reason he won’t play in 2026 World Baseball Classic

World Baseball Classic 2026 is just around the corner, and the fans are curious to see who among the Major League superstars will feature for their national teams. The much-promising young starter for the Miami Marlins, Eury Perez, will once again miss out. Having Dominican origin and an electric pitching profile, most of us would have expected Perez to form part of the Dominican Republic team. Rather, the right-hander affirmed that he was not going to participate in the tournament.

The surprise about the decision is that it was not based on injury limitations or uninterestedness. According to Pérez, the organizers of the WBC in the Dominican Republic never approached or invited him.

Why Perez won’t play: communication and MLB priorities

Pérez ensured that it was not an emotional decision. It was not a dispute or a rejection. It was just an absence of communication. To a player who was at an important stage of his career, the roster invitations and planning were important, and the absence of one made Pérez decide to proceed with his professional preparation.


After having gone through Tommy John surgery, and being out of the game since he didn't pitch the whole 2024 season, he was finally able to return to action in 2025 and produce some quality work in Miami. Perez was able to enjoy a good first season back since he was able to command the baseball a little more, and he was able to handle a competitive workload.

The bigger picture: WBC decisions and long-term outlook

In the case of Pérez, health and consistency are more important at the start of a full MLB season, both personally and at the team level. Being on a guided training program offers him the most likely opportunity to make a difference on a major-league level.

Although a lack of WBC participation can be disappointing to fans, Perez's case shows that international participation usually depends on timing, communication, and career situations. Even at the tender age of 22, he is still in the future talent pool of the Dominican Republic. Should things work against him in subsequent tournaments, then there is still a chance that he will have an international debut to look forward to, but not in 2026.


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