Manfred: 'Absolutely no discussion' about ending WBC

Don't expect the World Baseball Classic to go anywhere anytime soon.

The international tournament has received its fair share of criticism in recent days as stars such as slugger Victor Martinez debated the tournament's timing, and Noah Syndergaard ripped the competition for not contributing toward a player's career goals.

But the most important voice in Major League Baseball, commissioner Rob Manfred, says there are no plans to erase the debated spring event, calling it "vital to the internationalization of the game," according to the New York Times' Ken Belson.

"The W.B.C. has always been profitable, and there's been absolutely no discussion about the possibility of this being the last W.B.C.," Manfred added, according to Belson.

Martinez and Syndergaard aren't the only players with apparent concerns about the WBC, however.

Two of American baseball's biggest names, Mike Trout and Bryce Harper, have yet to appear for Team USA through two editions now, opting instead to spend spring training with their teams, the Los Angeles Angels and Washington Nationals, respectively.