Astros fans have 2 big reasons to follow the World Baseball Classic in 2026

So far, most of the news regarding the Houston Astros' World Baseball Classic contingent has been decidedly mixed. Regardless of whether or not you're a fan of the tournament, there have been gray clouds and silver linings.

Take, for example, the fact that stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa were denied insurance coverage for the event. You could see that as a blessing in disguise, as two longtime stalwarts who have a lot of mileage on their bodies being saved from themselves. Or, you could look at it as both are injuries waiting to happen.

For Correa, even a rumored last-ditch attempt by Reggaeton superstar Bad Bunny wasn't enough to get his insurance issues in order in time to be added to Team Puerto Rico's roster. As a result, the Astros will be sending out just three players to represent the club during the global spectacle  — Shay Whitcomb (Korea), Zach Dezenzo (Italy), and Jeremy Peña (Dominican Republic).

Of all of Houston's stars, the most conspicuous absence from the WBC rosters is that of newbie Tatsuya Imai, who decided not to pitch for Team Japan in order to spend more time around his teammates while getting acclimated to the MLB game. With that, we now have two big rooting interests related to the tournament.

Tatsuya Imai and Jeremy Peña's divergent WBC choices give Astros fans plenty to root for during the tournament

Without a representative for Team USA in the tournament, the matchups that will appeal to Astros fans the most (taking patriotic pride out of the equation) will be whenever the star-studded Dominican Republic team takes the field.

It will be interesting to see where Peña fits in after his stellar breakout campaign in 2025. The Dominican roster also features another breakout shortstop from last season, Geraldo Perdomo, who reached even greater heights last year and is the likely starter.

Still, the 28-year-old Astros star will get plenty of run, and seeing how he fares against the best competition the world has to offer will be exhilarating.

Even more exhilarating is the fact that Imai is staying back with Houston. Opting not to play for his home country, the reigning champs and the most-winningest team in the tournament's history, takes some strong willpower and demonstrates serious commitment.

That stuff is exciting, and what will be even more thrilling is to see how he performs during these big league warm-ups. So far, the early reports on his stuff have been glowing, with his splitter drawing praise as an offering so lethal it's unlike any other pitch some players have ever seen before.

So, there's your Astros-related rooting guide for the WBC. We'll be looking for Peña to show out every time Team Dominican Republic takes the field, and all of Imai's spring starts will be appointment viewing.