The 2026 World Baseball Classic officially kicks on March 5 and runs until the gold medal game on March 17. The 2023 event was an incredible success, with Team Japan defeating Team USA in one of the most memorable baseball games in recent memory.

The rosters for the current iteration of the Classic were officially released on Thursday night, and here's who will be leaving the Boston Red Sox during spring training to chase WBC gold.

Now 32 years old, Yoshida signed a five-year deal with the Red Sox before that 2023 season. A solid bat-to-ball player, he had a good rookie season, hitting .289 with a .338 on-base percentage in 140 games. He's armed with decent power, as he hit 15 homers and drove in 72 that season.

However, he's had trouble staying healthy since then, as he played only 108 games in 2024 (10 homers, 56 RBIs). He played just 55 games in 2025, hitting only .266 with four home runs.

At his best, he's an integral part of the lineup, but we haven't seen him at his best since that 2023 campaign.

He's due about $36 million over the next two seasons. Because he's generally regarded as a DH-only, he's been virtually impossible to trade, leaving the Red Sox with some hard decisions moving forward. How will leaving the team for two weeks or so in the spring impact his roster chances and standing?

He had a WBC-record 13 RBIs in the 2023 tournament.

A member of the Mexican team in 2023 as well, Duran is one of the most exciting players in baseball. A five-year veteran, he was the MVP of the All-Star Game in 2024, and he's led the American League in triples each of the last two seasons. A career .267 hitter, he's coming off a career-high 84 RBI season.

Now 26 years old, Abreu is a back-to-back Gold Glove winner. He's also a powerful hitter at the plate, as he smoked 22 homers in just 115 games last season. He's a career .256 hitter who is also coming of a career-high in RBIs (69).

Born in Curacao, the 25-year-old outfielder is one of the best defenders in the game. Also a Gold Glove winner in 2025, he hit .249 with 16 homers and 63 RBIs. He also stole 20 bases. With Rafaela, Abreu and Duran all gone, that means the entire Red Sox starting outfield will be away from the team.

Now 29 years old, Eaton has appeared in parts of three big-league seasons with the Kansas City Royals and Red Sox. He played 41 games for the Sox in 2025, hitting .296 with a homer, four RBIs and nine stolen bases. He played 25 games in the outfield and 12 at third base for the Red Sox, meaning he could potentially be another outfield option to further complicate things for a crowded roster. The signing of Isiah Kiner-Falefa on Wednesday night also complicates things for him.

Slated to join Garrett Crochet, Ranger Suarez, Johan Oviedo and Sonny Gray in the Sox rotation, Bello is making his WBC debut. He went 11-9 with a 3.35 ERA in 2025, striking out just 124 hitters in 166.2 innings. With the Dominicans, he'll join the likes of Sandy Alcantara and Cristopher Sanchez.

An excellent reliever, Whitlock will feature in Mark DeRosa's bullpen for the Americans. Capable of working multiple innings if necessary, he went 7-3 a season ago with a 2.25 ERA. He struck out 91 batters in 72.0 innings.

Signed to a five-year, $130 million deal this offseason, he's the biggest investment for the Sox this winter. He went 12-8 with a 3.20 ERA for the Phillies in 2025, striking out 151 in 157.1 innings. 

Also acquired from the St. Louis Cardinals this offseason, Contreras will be the team's starting first baseman. A 10-year veteran, he's a career .258 hitter who has made three All-Star teams. He had 20 homers a season ago and has six seasons of 20 homers or more.

A four-year veteran of the Yankees and Red Sox, he went 6-6 with a 2.82 ERA in 72 appearances for Boston a season ago. He struck out 57 batters in 67.0 innings.

A four-year vet of the Minnesota Twins and Red Sox, he has 81 career appearances under his belt. He made just two appearances for the Red Sox in 2025, pitching to a 6.75 ERA.

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