Reds reliever passes on WBC and it may reveal his true priorities

Cincinnati Reds reliever Yosver Zulueta reportedly turned down an opportunity to participate in next year's World Baseball Classic. According to MLB insider Francys Romero, Zulueta was contacted by the Cuban Baseball Federation, but declined the invite to take part in the 2026 WBC.

This is not terribly uncommon. Other players, for whatever reason, have chosen to skip the WBC. These reasons have ranged from family-related obligations to injury concerns and everything in between. What Zulueta's true reasons for passing on the opportunity are, only he really knows.

It may be a bit presumptuous to toss this idea out there, but perhaps the reason Zulueta is forgoing next year's WBC is to better position himself to be part of the 2026 Reds Opening Day roster. Zulueta has only made four relief appearances for the Reds this season, and maybe he sees the writing on the wall. While representing your country in the WBC is a tremendous honor, having a job in Major League Baseball is arguably just as (if not more) important.

Reds reliever Yosver Zulueta passes on WBC and it may reveal his true priorities

Zulueta came to the Reds organization last season after being traded by the Toronto Blue Jays just before Opening Day. Zulueta came state-side in 2020 and made 38 relief appearances in the Jays' Triple-A affiliate in 2023.

Like so many of the Reds relievers, Zulueta is known for his heater. The right-hander's fastball can touch the upper-90s, and he also possesses a sinker, changeup, and a curveball. In the minors this season, Zulueta has been a strikeout machine. The 27-year-old has a 30.6% strikeout rate with the Louisville Bats and 3.59 ERA.

Zulueta has yo-yo'd between Triple-A and the big leagues the past few seasons, but his decision to bypass the WBC could be a sign that he's getting tired of the drive back and forth between I-71.

Zulueta has minor-league option remaining, but he'd probably prefer the Reds not use it in 2026. If he stays in Goodyear as opposed to participating in the WBC, Zulueta will get more face time with Reds' coaching staff, and receive more opportunities to showcase his talents while others are participating in the event.

If this truly is Zulueta's motivation behind skipping the WBC, it's quite ingenious. Reds fans will have to wait until next spring to see if it pays off for him.

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