MESA, Ariz. – The World Baseball Classic lost a third A’s player Sunday when it was announced starting pitcher Sonny Gray hasn’t received the medical clearance from the tournament’s insurance carrier to participate for Team USA.
Gray is the second player to be bounced from the competition by insurance company issues. Toronto catcher Russell Martin was down to play for Team Canada and was told he couldn’t play two weeks ago.
A’s general manager David Forst said Major League Baseball pushed for an exception to the insurance company guidelines that say players who were on the DL last August and didn’t play enough in the final weeks of the season can be kept out of the tournament.