Carlos Correa, Twins make joint decision to withdraw shortstop from World Baseball Classic

Betsy Helfand, Pioneer Press
Updated ·2 min read
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The World Baseball Classic, Carlos Correa said last year, was “one of the best times” he has ever had playing baseball.

The Puerto Rican team made a run to the championship game before losing in 2017, and Correa finished with a team-high three home runs, nine RBIs and 10 runs scored.

But the star shortstop, who originally planned on competing for Puerto Rico again, and the Twins have made a joint decision for him to withdraw from the tournament this time around as he and his wife await the birth of their second child.

“After some thoughtful discussions with Carlos about the upcoming WBC, we’ve collectively determined that it’s in his best interests to not participate in the upcoming tournament,” Twins president of baseball operations Derek Falvey said in a statement. “This was a challenging decision for Carlos. He takes so much pride in representing his country and truly considered ways to make this work.”

The timing of the event ultimately led Correa and the Twins to decide that that was not going to be possible.

The Correas are expecting a baby boy on March 11, just days after the international tournament is set to begin. Puerto Rico’s first game, which will take place in Miami, is scheduled for that same day. Playing in the WBC would require Correa to go from doing little to no baseball activity while on paternity leave for multiple days straight to intense game competition.

“Ultimately, as we looked at what his travel would be surrounding the upcoming birth of his second child — due during the WBC tournament — we all acknowledged that the back and forth flying combined with multiple days off from baseball activity didn’t set Carlos up for jumping into meaningful games upon his return,” Falvey said in the statement.

The World Baseball Classic is scheduled to take place between March 8-21. The tournament was supposed to be held in 2021 but was pushed back because of the COVID pandemic.

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