Nearly a decade after his last MLB game, former Chicago White Sox shortstop Alexei Ramírez is set for a stunning World Baseball Classic return at 44 years old.
Alexei Ramírez, the former All-Star shortstop and beloved Chicago White Sox fan favorite, appears to be reviving his playing career at 44 years old.
Yes — you read that correctly.
Despite not appearing in a Major League Baseball game in nearly a decade — the last time he took the field in a big-league uniform was October 2, 2016, with the Tampa Bay Rays, when he went 4-for-5 with an RBI — Alexei Ramírez is about to step back onto baseball’s brightest international stage.
Ramírez has been named to Team Cuba’s preliminary roster for the World Baseball Classic.
It’s a full-circle moment for the Cuban shortstop. Ramírez also represented his country in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, when he was just 24 years old — long before he ever arrived on the South Side of Chicago. That was before the iconic rookie-season grand slam that helped push the White Sox into a Game 163 playoff against the Minnesota Twins, before his two Silver Slugger Awards at shortstop, and before he earned the unforgettable nickname “The Cuban Missile.”
And yet, here he is — nearly 20 years later.
For White Sox fans, Ramírez’s return will be one of the most compelling storylines of March. It’s not every day a franchise icon resurfaces on an international stage against some of the best players in the world.
On Team Cuba’s initial roster, Ramírez is joined by several notable names, including former White Sox third baseman Yoán Moncada (currently a free agent), Los Angeles Dodgers outfielder Andy Pages, Detroit Tigers infielder Andy Ibáñez, and Toronto Blue Jays right-handed pitcher Yariel Rodríguez.
White Sox outfielder Luis Robert Jr. has declined invitations to play for Team Cuba in the past, but there is still hope he could eventually join the roster before the tournament begins.
Two other veterans — Paolo Espino (Panama) and Shairon Martis — are also set to return after having previously participated in the 2006 World Baseball Classic, making this event a rare 20-year reunion for multiple players.
Following the massive success of the 2023 World Baseball Classic, interest in the tournament is higher than ever. For baseball diehards, the WBC will serve as an early preview of the 2026 MLB season, effectively shortening the offseason and ramping up anticipation across the sport.
And for White Sox fans in particular, March will be appointment viewing. Incoming rookie first baseman Munetaka Murakami is expected to suit up for Team Japan, offering an early glimpse of Chicago’s newest star before his MLB debut.
Add Alexei Ramírez to that list — and suddenly, the 2026 World Baseball Classic becomes must-see TV on the South Side.