Kansas City Royals closer Carlos Estévez decides to play in World Baseball Classic

The Kansas City Royals will be well represented during the 2026 World Baseball Classic this spring.

Carlos Estévez announced Friday that he will play for the Dominican Republic on the global stage. He is the latest Royal to participate in the WBC, joining: Bobby Witt Jr. (USA); Salvador Perez (Venezuela); Maikel Garcia (Venezuela); Vinnie Pasquantino (Italy); Jac Caglianone (Italy); and Seth Lugo (Puerto Rico).

Estévez also played for the Dominican Republic, his home country, in the 2023 WBC. He will be one of the veteran relievers within the Dominican bullpen. He’s coming off a career year in the majors, with 42 saves and an All-Star appearance.

The Dominican Republic team will also feature Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Fernando Tatis Jr., and Julio Rodriguez, among other notable major-leaguers.

The Royals signed Estévez to a two-year contract last offseason. He emerged as a clubhouse leader and helped build the KC bullpen’s foundation. The Royals finished 2025 with a combined 3.63 ERA — seventh best in the league.

The WBC begins on March 4. The Dominican Republic will be in Pool D alongside Nicaragua, Netherlands, Israel, and Venezuela.

It’s possible that Estévez will face his Royals teammates in the international tournament. Venezuela’s lineup features Garcia and Perez. Garcia produced a breakout season in 2025, with a Gold Glove and All-Star appearance. Perez, meanwhile, is the Venezuelan squad’s team captain.

The Dominican Republic will host Nicaragua on March 6 at LoanDepot Park in Miami. The Dominican team will participate in round-robin play in Pool D. The top two teams from each pool will advance to the quarterfinals with a chance to make a championship run.

Japan is the reigning WBC champion, having defeated the U.S. with a thrilling 3-2 victory in the 2023 finale. The WBC is usually played every four years, but its most recent edition was thrown off-schedule by the COVID-19 pandemic.