Iván Herrera to Miss World Baseball Classic

Panama's star player Iván Herrera will not be able to join the national team for the upcoming World Baseball Classic, as announced by the Panamanian Baseball Federation (Fedebeis). It is recalled that Iván Herrera underwent surgery on his right elbow at the end of last season. Since then, he has worked with great commitment and dedication to achieve a full recovery and be available to represent our country. In his place, outfielder Luis Castillo will be added to the roster. He is an experienced international player, a switch-hitter, and capable of contributing in multiple areas of the game. We wish him a speedy and complete recovery, with the certainty that in the future he will have new opportunities to represent the country with the pride and dedication that have always characterized him. We deeply thank Iván Herrera for his willingness, effort, and desire to wear the colors of the national team. However, following the most recent medical evaluation, it has been determined that, although his recovery is progressing positively, the level of demand implied by a competition of this magnitude poses a high risk to his health at this stage of his rehabilitation process, which could compromise his long-term recovery.