Houston Astros stars Jose Altuve and Carlos Correa will miss the upcoming World Baseball Classic due to insurance issues. Correa, who recently returned to the team, cited the risk of jeopardizing his $31 million salary if injured. Altuve, still recovering from a foot procedure, also won't participate, preventing him from representing Venezuela.

This is a significant blow to both the Astros and the WBC. Altuve, a key player for the Astros, was also injured in the previous WBC, making this a repeat issue. Correa was also looking forward to representing Puerto Rico. The absence of these star players removes some of the star power from the international tournament.

The WBC, set to begin March 5th, will be missing two of its potential headline talents. Correa stated he was disappointed to miss the tournament after a hard off-season. The Astros organization seemed to have been concerned about injuries. The tournament will be held in multiple locations, including Houston and Miami, with the final games in Miami.

With both players out, the Astros will focus on spring training and the upcoming MLB season. The team will need to adjust its lineup. This situation highlights the complexities of player contracts and the risks involved with participating in international events. Fans will miss seeing these two play, but will look forward to seeing them back in the regular season.