Houston Astros decide Jose Altuve will not play in the 2026 World Baseball Classic despite his intent to play

| Global Sports Desk | TIMESOFINDIA.COM | Jan 27, 2026, 07:21 IST

The Houston Astros have decided that José Altuve, a nine-time MLB All-Star, won't be playing for Venezuela in the 2026 World Baseball Classic (WBC), even though he wants to take part. The Astros asked their 36-year-old second baseman to sit this one out so he can concentrate on getting ready for spring training.

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Although the Astros have not issued an official public confirmation, Altuve’s own remarks at the team’s FanFest event made the situation clear. Speaking to reporters, he said, “I signed the paper that I’m willing to go play like I did the last two WBCs. Always an honor to represent my country. I played in the last one and the one before, and I’m trying to do it in this one. I don’t know what’s going on behind the scenes, but it seems this year is not up to me. Hopefully everything clears up, and I’ll be able to go.”

Why the Houston Astros are taking this position

The Astros are dealing with a bunch of injury issues that have influenced their strategy for player availability as they look ahead to 2026. Back in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, José Altuve ended up with a fractured right thumb after getting hit by a pitch.

This injury needed surgery and kept him out for the first 43 games of Houston's regular season. Even though he came back in mid-May and played well in 90 games, the Astros had already been without their leadoff guy for almost a quarter of the year.

The worry only grew in 2025 when Houston broke an MLB record for having the highest number of players on the injured list simultaneously. The strain of that season along with Altuve's foot problem late in the year and a procedure in November to drain fluid from a wound between his toe, has made the team particularly careful. Despite Altuve telling reporters at FanFest that he was "100 percent healthy," the team's position remained the same.

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Omar López, the manager for Venezuela in the 2026 WBC and also the bench coach for the Astros, mentioned during the Winter Meetings that an injury similar to Altuve’s thumb fracture from 2023 "could have happened in spring training too." However, the Astros still see the WBC as a needless risk.

On top of that, Chandler Rome, an Astros beat writer, shared on his podcast that this situation is "purely an insurance matter," suggesting that contract or coverage issues might be playing a role in the decision, just as much as the team's cautious approach.