With a .450 batting average and five RBIs, Francisco Lindor helped carry Team Puerto Rico in the 2023 World Baseball Classic. When the event returns next year, Lindor will reprise his leading role.
Lindor will once again serve as the captain for Puerto Rico for the 2026 WBC, which will be played from March 5-17. Lindor made the announcement in an Instagram post on Wednesday evening.
The Mets' star shortstop was the squad’s captain as Puerto Rico finished as the runner-up in Pool D in the 2023 WBC, reaching the quarterfinals but falling 5-4 to Pool C winner Mexico.
In 2026, Puerto Rico will host first-round action for Pool A in San Juan, where they will face off against Cuba, Canada, Panama and Colombia.
Lindor has established himself as one of the best players in the sport, finishing second to the Dodgers’ Shohei Ohtani in 2024 National League MVP voting. A four-time All-Star, Lindor has won four Silver Sluggers and two Gold Gloves at shortstop.
In 2023, he captained a Puerto Rico squad that featured big names like Mets teammate Edwin Díaz, the Dodgers’ Kiké Hernández, the Tigers’ Javier Báez and the Blue Jays’ José Berríos. Lindor was also part of the 2017 Puerto Rico team that reached the championship round before losing to the U.S. He hit two homers in a game against Mexico and was named the Pool D MVP.