Los Angeles Dodgers star Freddie Freeman faced a murky situation involving the World Baseball Classic. Now the WBC and Team Canada knows his 2026 status as of Saturday.
Freeman has withdrawn from the upcoming games, with Sportsnet baseball analyst Shi Davidi revealing why.
“Some tough WBC news for Canada as Freddie Freeman withdraws for personal reasons. Dodgers star played in past two tourneys,” Davis posted on the social media website X, formerly known as Twitter.
He’s not the only exit too, per Davidi.
“Jordan Romano is out too, but on flip side, big boost for Canadian rotation as Jameson Taillon is in. Also now in are C Liam Hicks and INF Tyler Black,” Davidi added.
Dodgers’ Freddie Freeman known to play in WBC
Freeman would’ve played for a Canada team aiming to go far against the world’s best baseball players.
Canada pulled a massive 2006 upset against Team USA — but has never advanced past the second round.
Freeman last appeared in the 2023 tournament. He batted .200 in that event, driving in two runners. Freeman also scored three runs and had one walk but never smacked a home run.
Freeman qualifies to suit up for Team Canada as a native of Windsor, Ontario. He manages to hold dual citizenship for both Canada and the USA.
Of course, he’s fresh off tasting championship euphoria in his homeland. Freeman even hit a World Series dance after beating the Toronto Blue Jays in seven games. He also made sure to send out longtime teammate Clayton Kershaw out with a win.
NFL insider’s John Harbaugh update is music to Dolphins fans’ ears
Now that the Miami Dolphins have secured a new general manager in longtime Packers executive Jon-Eric Sullivan, their head coaching search to replace Mike McDaniel is full steam ahead.
There’s one big fish in the pond that the Dolphins will hope to lure their way. The problem is, there are seven other head coaching vacancies across the league. After 18 seasons with the Baltimore Ravens, Super Bowl champ John Harbaugh will have his pick of the litter.
All that said, we can obviously rule out a return to Baltimore for Harbaugh. It’s doubtful he’d take the Browns’ job, considering he saw his longtime division rival’s perpetual dysfunction firsthand, twice a year.
Although Miami has had its fair share of instability and lack of success, the infrastructure is there to facilitate a consistent winner.
Maybe that’s why the link between Harbaugh and the Dolphins only seems to strengthen by the day. The latest buzz on that front is no different.
Albert Breer names the Miami Dolphins as one of four viable John Harbaugh landing spots
It’s known that Harbaugh has a relationship with Dolphins owner Stephen Ross, which gives Miami a bit of an inside track as is. However, The MMQB’s Albert Breer is as plugged in as any NFL insider, and he contends that the Fins are very much in play for Harbaugh’s services:
On John Harbaugh—no interviews this weekend, he’ll start this coming week. Sources say 6 teams reached out right away, Miami made it 7 last night. He won’t interview with them all.
So I’d see the realistic landing spots, as of now, as the Giants, Dolphins, Titans and Falcons. — Albert Breer (@AlbertBreer) January 10, 2026
Let’s examine those potential Harbaugh coaching destinations more closely. Starting with the Giants, there’s a lot of youth and unknown there. No fewer than three of the G-Men’s offensive cornerstones have major medical red flags in quarterback Jaxson Dart (head injuries), wideout Malik Nabers (torn ACL), and tailback Cam Skattebo (brutal ankle injury).
Beyond those dubious circumstances, Harbaugh would have to deal with the media circus in New York. He doesn’t strike me as a guy who avoids a challenge, but he also doesn’t strike me as a guy who’d welcome that magnitude of outside noise to his new football operation.
Moving on to the Titans. Although they do own the fourth overall pick in the 2026 NFL Draft (just ahead of the Giants at No. 5), what do they have to work with on that roster? A No. 1 overall pick QB in Cam Ward, whose playing style is rather backyard-ish, and very little else on offense.
I love me some Jeffery Simmons at defensive tackle, and Peter Skoronski at left guard. What Harbaugh has to weigh most in Tennessee is the ownership. Amy Adams Strunk is a full-blown disaster as an owner. She can’t seem to make up her mind about anything.
Oh, and Strunk fired Mike Vrabel. Well done, Amy! How’s Vrabel doing these days? Elle-Oh-Elle.
Speaking of owners, Arthur Blank is a far steadier presence in Atlanta. The question is, why can’t the Falcons seem to get over the hump, no matter who’s in charge? Plus, that QB situation looks pretty bad with Michael Penix Jr., who’s now torn an ACL thrice in his football career.
At least in Miami, Harbaugh would have innate familiarity with Ross and the chance to start fresh at quarterback. I’m personally in the “all-in on Malik Willis” camp, especially since he shared two seasons with the Dolphins’ newly minted GM in Green Bay.
Yup, the math is indeed mathin’ on Breer’s report. The Dolphins are sounding more and more like the most appealing place for Harbaugh to continue his legendary coaching career.