He was also ineligible to pitch in the postseason.
Johan Rojas was fighting for a roster spot with the Phillies. Getty Images
Max Kepler, who played with the Phillies last year but became a free agent and is no longer with the team, tested positive in January and was handed an 80-game suspension.
Rojas, 25, was battling for a roster spot with the Phillies.
A strong fielder who has struggled to establish himself at the plate, he played in 71 games last year for the Phillies and hit .224 with a .569 OPS.
He was set to play for the Dominican Republic in the World Baseball Classic, but did not report with the rest of his teammates over the weekend amid the failed test.
Rojas will still be allowed to play spring training games as his appeal process plays out, though it’s unclear if that’s the Phillies’ plan.
Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki throws during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians on Tuesday. He was lifted after not retiring any of the first five batters he faced, but was re-inserted in the second inning and retired the last six batters he faced. (Mike Christy / Getty Images)
Roki Sasaki’s struggles from his first Cactus League start carried over into Tuesday's game against the Cleveland Guardians at Goodyear Ballpark.
The Dodgers right-hander gave up three walks and two hits, including a grand slam to Guardians slugger Kyle Manzardo, before he was lifted after 23 pitches. He displayed no command, missing arm side repeatedly and throwing only eight strikes. None of the five batters he faced in the first inning saw a first-pitch strike.
But then, he flashed the tantalizing potential that the Dodgers saw when they signed him before last season.
Re-inserted into the game to start the second inning, which is allowed in spring training, the 24-year-old settled down and retired all six batters he faced in his last two innings of work while throwing 22 pitches — 13 for strikes — in the Dodgers' 5-4 win.
Working in a healthy mix of fastballs, cutters and splitters, Sasaki struck out two and was able to limit hard contact, which had been an issue for him in the first inning and in his first start last week against the Arizona Diamondbacks. The home run by Manzardo recorded an exit velocity of 104.6 mph.
"I wasn't overly concerned," Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said. "But it was good to see him bounce back."
Sasaki said through an interpreter after he was lifted from the game that something felt off about his upper-body mechanics. He made a simple adjustment and found success in it.
“It was actually my upper body,” Sasaki said. “My lower half actually felt pretty good. My upper body felt a little off, so I was trying to make an adjustment.”
Said Roberts when asked about Sasaki missing arm side: "Maybe he's trying to be a little too fine and/or just a little bit out of sync with the delivery. That's why you have spring training, you work though it, you've got to be able to make in-game adjustments. As he gets more experienced, you would expect that to happen in the inning rather than sit for 20 minutes, come in and reset."
Gavin Stone has shoulder inflammation
Roberts said before Tuesday's game that right-hander Gavin Stone received a scan, which revealed shoulder inflammation. The 27-year-old pitcher, who struck out two in a perfect inning of work in his first Cactus League start last week, will stop all throwing activities for two weeks and be re-evaluated.
“I think we dodged a bullet," Roberts said. "We feel good about it.”
Stone is working his way back from a right shoulder surgery that he underwent in October 2024, which caused him to miss all of last season.
But with him and left-hander Blake Snell sidelined, that opens some spots in the starting rotation — which presents an opportunity for the likes of Emmet Sheehan, who has yet to appear in a Cactus League game, and River Ryan, who looked sharp in two scoreless innings of work Tuesday. Ryan recorded three strikeouts against the Guardians.
Tommy Edman taking batting practice, Kiké Hernández progressing
Roberts revealed Tuesday that utilityman Tommy Edman has started taking batting practice, as he recovers from ankle surgery. He will likely open the season on IL.
“I think he has [taken batting practice] in a cage,” Roberts said. “I don’t think he’s been on the field yet, but he’s swinging from both sides, he’s running, playing catch, and all of that stuff. So, he’s progressing nicely. Still, obviously a ways away from playing in a game, but it’s been really good to see his kind of progression.”
Roberts says that utilityman Kiké Hernández, who is recovering from offseason surgery on his left elbow, is also trending in the right direction.
“He is [making progress],” Roberts said. “I think he’s going to be with us for a few more days, and then he’s going to join Team Puerto Rico down there, but from what I hear every day he’s progressed really well. I’ve seen him running around and doing some movements, but yeah, I don’t know what his progression is with the hitting, but from what I’ve heard, it’s getting better each day.”
Hernández will not participate in the World Baseball Classic.
Kyle Tucker goes home to be with family
Noticeably absent from the Dodgers’ lineup and clubhouse this week is Kyle Tucker. Roberts explained that Tucker has returned to his offseason home as his wife is close to giving birth to the couple’s first son.
“He went home,” Roberts said. “He and his wife are expecting, and so hopefully we have some news here soon, and then once he does, he’ll be back.”
Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas, 25, is facing an 80-game suspension following a failed PED test, according to multiple reports.
Rojas is appealing the test results.
He was originally slated to be a part of the Dominican Republic World Baseball Classic team, but dropped off the roster last week. He was not with the team when it made its trip to Miami over the weekend.
This marks the second consecutive year the Phillies have had a player suspended due to PEDs. In 2025, reliever Jose Alvarado received an 80-game suspension of his own, which has kept him off Venezuela's roster for the World Baseball Classic.
Johan Rojas stats
Rojas, lauded mostly for his defensive prowess, was expected to platoon in center field alongside rookie Justin Crawford. The three-year vet struggled offensively in 2025, posting a 57 OPS+ and slashing .224/.280/.289 in 71 games.
When will Johan Rojas return?
If Rojas' appeal fails, he will be eligible to return in late June. That said, Rojas' suspension would make him ineligible to participate in the MLB postseason this year. The Phillies have reached the playoffs in four consecutive seasons.
Luis Rey holds a Mexican flag outside of Chase Field before they play Colombia during the World Baseball Classic in Phoenix on March 11, 2023. Baseball World Baseball Classic Opening Day
The tune-up for the World Baseball Classic also gave the D-backs a chance to run out some young players, with the absence of a number of regulars, now off to play for their country. Those actually include Alek Thomas, who was in the opposition dugout here, and went 2-for-3, driving a run against his regular employers. Six of the eight Arizona pitchers used put up a zero today. That included starter Zac Gallen, who worked two innings in his second start of spring. It only took him 22 pitches for Zac to get through his work today, allowing one hit, without a walk or a strikeout.
After that, there were zeroes put up by Taylor Clarke, Joe Ross, Andrew Hoffmann, and in his debut, Grant Homan, of the players expected to be competing seriously for a roster spot. Hoffman looked particularly good, striking out two of the three batters he faced in the sixth. Most of the damage came off Juan Morillo, who was ambushed for four hits in his first handful of pitches, on his way to a four-run fourth for Mexico. Dylan Ray allowed a home-run in the eighth to land mammal Rowdy Tellez, and another in the ninth to Alejandro Osuna. ABS was not in play this afternoon, so nothing to report there.
On offense, both sides notched eleven hits. Tim Tawa and Jordan Lawlar each had a pair of hits among the starters, while LuJames Groover went 2-for-2 off the bench. James McCann had an RBI single and a walk, but the D-backs spurned a number of chances to come back after falling 4-0 down. They were 3-for-15 with runners in scoring position – significantly more chances than the Mexican squad, who were 3-for-9 with RISP. Still, a better performance by the D-backs than the Giants, who were murdered to the tune of 15-1 by ‘Merica. Hey, and the British team beat the Brewers 7-3, Kristin Robinson notching a pair of hits for Blighty.
Normal Cactus League service will be resumed again at Hohokam, with a game against the Athletics. Brandon Pfaadt is your scheduled starter there, in a 1:05 pm first pitch.
Roki Sasaki had his second outing of Spring Training on Tuesday, and it didn’t start very well.
After allowing a single and two walks to the first three batters, Sasaki gave up a grand slam to Kyle Manzardo. He then walked the next batter and then was removed from the inning. Roki re-entered the game in the bottom of the second, looking much better. He struck out two and induced a fly out. He also set down the side in the bottom of the third.
After his outing, Sasaki told reporters that his upper body mechanics felt “off”. He was able to get things more in sync in the second and third innings, saying “Actually, I was able to find something I could really trust. But I still need to work on [it] to produce in the game.” In an interview with Kirsten Watson on SportsNet LA, Sasaki remarked that once he stood up straighter, then everything started going better.
In the first inning, Sasaki was missing everything arm side. In the second, he started the first batter with two balls but then found his groove, recording strikes on seven of his next eight pitches. He struck out two with his splitter.
Those four runs were all the Guardians would be able to score against the Dodgers, however. The rest of the pitchers on the day combined to strike out 11, while allowing two hits and walking four.
World Series hero Will Klein looked especially good, striking out two and retiring the side on just nine pitches.
River Ryan is keeping his name in the starting rotation talk with another good outing. Across two innings and 28 pitches, Ryan didn’t allow a hit or a run, striking out three, including Jose Ramirez, and walking one.
Miguel Rojas continues his hot spring, going 2-for-3 including a two-run homer in the third inning. Rojas is batting .375 with a .952 OPS so far this spring.
Zach Ehrhard tripled in two runs in the fourth, and then scored to give the Dodgers the lead that they would carry to the end of the game.
The Dodgers will face Team Mexico on Wednesday at Camelback Ranch. Tyler Glasnow will pitch for the Dodgers, against a TBD starter for Mexico.
PORT CHARLOTTE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 28: Kevin McGonigle #85 of the Detroit Tigers hits a triple during the first inning of a spring training game against the Tampa Bay Rays at Charlotte Sports Park on February 28, 2026 in Port Charlotte, Florida. (Photo by Mark Taylor/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Detroit Tigers vs. Dominican Republic
Time/Place: 6:05 p.m., Estadio Quisqueya Juan Marichal – Santo Domingo, DR Media: MLB Network, Tigers Radio Network
Vanderbilt baseball head coach Tim Corbin congratulates Vanderbilt's Braden Holcomb (26) on a home run during their game against Marist at Vanderbilt’s Hawkins Field Friday, Feb. 20, 2026. | Alan Poizner/For The Tennessean / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
4:30pm CT SECN+
On the Mound
Tuesday @ 4:30pm SECN+
Vanderbilt #77 Jr. RHP Alex “The Kranz” Kranzler (1-1; 13.50 ERA)
vs. Central Arkansas #39 Jr. RHP Patrick “It’s Pat” Fernandez (1-1; 6.75 ERA)
Jul 23, 2025; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas (23) hits an RBI single against the Boston Red Sox in the eleventh inning at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Kyle Ross-Imagn Images | Kyle Ross-Imagn Images
Yesterday, there was a report that Johan Rojas had been removed from the Dominican Republic WBC roster for “personal decisions” as termed by Nelson Cruz, decisions that have now been given a little more clarification.
Phillies OF Johan Rojas did fail a test for PEDs. He, like Profar, is appealing the positive test. @wilberdata 1st reported Rojas’ failed test.
As said above, Rojas is reportedly appealing said failed test.
This is sad news for a few reasons, number one of which that Rojas would consider taking PEDs. We knew that his place in the organization had slipped quite a bit from being the center fielder of the future to “maybe he’ll make the roster?” Perhaps that fall had led to his apparent decision to partake in PED usage, but now he is facing an 80 game suspension from MLB as well as not being able to participate in this or the next World Baseball Classic.
Mar 3, 2026; Dunedin, FL, USA; Toronto Blue Jays right fielder Nathan Lukes (38) singles during the fourth inning against Team Canada at TD Ballpark. Mandatory Credit: Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images | Kim Klement Neitzel-Imagn Images
Canada 7 Blue Jays 10
It looked like a runaway, early, the Jays were up 7-0 after 2 innings. But Team Canada tied things in the top of the eighth. Then the Jays scored three more in the bottom of the inning.
Kevin Gausman cruised through his two innings, allowing a hit and a walk with two strikeouts. He looked good.
Other Jays pitchers:
Angel Bastardo: 1 inning, 1 hit.
Braydon Fisher: 1 inning, 3 strikeouts.
Mason Fluharty: 1 inning, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts.
Lazaro Estrada: Got 2 outs, gave up 3 hits, 2 earned.
Gage Stanifer: Gave up 3 hits, 4 earned, 1 walk, 1 home run, and hit a batter, without getting an out.
Jack Cushing: 2 innings, 1 hit, 2 strikeouts.
Hitting, Jays starters:
George Springer: 0 for 2, walk, RBI, strikeout.
Nathan Lukes: 2 for 2, 2 RBI, 1 walk.
Daulton Varsho: 1 for 3, 2 runs.
Addison Barger: 0 for 2, walk, k.
Davis Schneider: 0 for 2, walk, k.
Jesús Sánchez: 2 for 3, 3 RBI and a caught stealing and picked off.
Brandon Valenzuela: 0 for 2, walk, k.
Arjun Nimmala: 0 for 2, walk, k.
Sean Keys: 0 for 2, walk, 2 k.
Others:
Josh Kasevish: 1 for 2, double.
Yohendrick Pinango: 0 for 3, k.
Jonatan Clase: 0 for 1.
Rafael Lantigua: Walk.
Carlos Mendoza: 0 for 1.
Eloy Jiménez: 1 for 1.
Geovanny Planchart: 0 for 1.
Josh Rivera: Walk.
Riley Tirotta: 1 for 1, home run, 3 RBI.
On the Canada side:
Adam Macko pitched a scoreless inning with a hit against.
Jacob Robson hit a home run.
Josh Naylor: 1 for 2 with a walk and stole a base.
Otto Lopez: 1 for 3, walk.
Tyler Black: 1 for 3, walk.
Denzel Clarke: 1 for 4, double.
The Jays have tomorrow off from spring training games, then a game against the Braves on Thursday, a 1:00 Eastern start time. The Jays will be on MLB TV as their Free Game of the Day
SACRAMENTO, CALIFORNIA - SEPTEMBER 23: Pitcher Cristian Javier #53 of the Houston Astros exits the game against the Athletics in the bottom of the fifth inning at Sutter Health Park on September 23, 2025 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Astros will host Team Venezuela for an exhibition this evening at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches ahead of this year’s World Baseball Classic.
RHP Cristian Javier is set to make his Spring debut while Team Venezuela will start SEA RHP Eduard Bazardo, who’s been scoreless through two appearances (1.1 IP) this Spring.
Isaac Paredes will make his spring debut at first base.
Tonight will mark the Spring debut for RHP Cristian Javier. In his return from Tommy John surgery in 2025, Javier made eight starts, going 2-4 with a 4.62 ERA (19ER/37IP), 34 strikeouts and a .230 opponent average. In his career, Javier has held opponents to a .203 (397×1956) batting average. Among AL pitchers to toss 525.0-plus innings between the 202025 seasons, Javier ranks first in the AL in that category. He’s also helped author several notable moments in his career, starting a combined no-hitter in Game 4 of the 2022 World Series, as well as a combined no-hitter in June of that season at Yankee Stadium.
TODAY’S POTENTIAL RELIEVERS: RHP Sam Carlson, LHP Bryan King, RHP Michael Knorr, RHP Jayden Murray, RHP Ryan Weiss, LHP Tom Cosgrove and RHP Christian Roa.
ABOUT TEAM VENEZUELA: For the second straight World Baseball Classic, Team Venezuela will be managed by Astros bench coach Omar López. Team Venezuela advanced to the quarterfinals in the 2023 WBC prior to being eliminated by the United States in the quarterfinals. The Astros and Team Venezuela also met during Spring Training in 2023, with the Astros hanging on for a 9-8 win at CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches. Notable players on Team Venezuela include: LHP Eduardo Rodríguez, LHP Ranger Suárez, C Salvador Pérez, C William Contreras, IF Luis Arráez, IF Eugenio Suárez, IF Willson Contreras, IF Gleyber Torres, OF Jackson Chourio and OF Ronald Acuña Jr.
Game Info
Game Date/Time: Tuesday, March 3, 5:05 p.m. CST
Location: CACTI Park of the Palm Beaches, West Palm Beach, FL.
Joe Espada said he asked Omar López to keep his Team Venezuela starters in for a while and hopes to get Ryan Weiss and Bryan King into the game against the lineup after Cristian Javier. https://t.co/UnhBxtNpEr
PORT ST. LUCIE, FLORIDA - FEBRUARY 16: Jonah Tong #21 of the New York Mets looks on during spring training workouts at Clover Park on February 16, 2026 in Port St. Lucie, Florida. (Photo by Rich Storry/Getty Images) | Getty Images
The Mets decisively won their exhibition match against Nicaragua 6-3, with 26 different players entering the game for the Mets over the nine innings.
Jonah Tong went 2.2 innings, allowing just one run on five hits and tallying three strikeouts in the process.
Brett Banks got a single out, a strikeout to end the third inning.
Craig Kimbrel gave up a run in one inning, giving up three hits and getting a strikeout to boot.
Brooks Raley gave up a run on a walk one hit in one inning, getting two strikeouts.
Luis García, Luke Weaver, Devin Williams, and Jefry Yan each had a scoreless inning, with Yan getting the save as well.
Marcus Semien went 1-for-2 with a walk and scoring twice.
Bo Bichette went 1-for-1 with a walk and an RBI.
Francisco Alvarez went 1-for-3, driving in a run on a single.
Vidal Bruján went 1-for-2, hitting a two-run single that put the Mets up for good.
Chris Suero hit a solo home run in the eighth inning, his first of the spring.
The Mets play again tomorrow in another exhibition match, this time against Team Israel. David Peterson will be making his first start of the spring. The game is at 1:10 PM ET, but will once again go unbroadcast, leaving box score watching as the only option.
Puerto Rico has long been one of the most exciting teams to watch in the World Baseball Classic. This year, even though it's missing some of its biggest star power, it should still be a force.
The runner-up in 2017 after losing 8-0 to the United States in the final, Team Rubio went home early in 2023 in a dramatic 5-4 quarterfinal loss to Mexico. The lasting image from the last Classic, however, is closer Edwin Díaz being carried off the field after tearing his ACL while celebrating after striking out the side against the Dominican Republic to send Puerto Rico to the knockout rounds.
Díaz, who signed a three-year, $69 million deal with the back-to-back World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers this past offseason, will be back on the mound for Puerto Rico this year. But the team is missing some notable faces, most notably former captain Francisco Lindor. Several members of Team Rubio's longtime core, including Lindor, will miss the Classic due to insurance constraints that have restricted several big-name players across multiple countries from competing this year. Puerto Rican superstar Bad Bunny offered to pay the insurance for Carlos Correa, but the Houston Astros infielder ultimately declined.
That opened the door for Nolan Arenado, who played for Team USA in 2017 and '23, to switch teams. He played a major role in USA's run to the finals in the most recent WBC, batting .385 and going 10-for-26 with four extra-base hits and five RBIs. Arenado is of Cuban and Puerto Rican heritage on his mother's side.
With Puerto Rico set to play in its first exhibition game against the Boston Red Sox at 6:00 p.m. ET Tuesday, here's everything you need to know about Team Rubio, including the full roster, schedule and how to watch.
TAMPA, FL - FEBRUARY 21: Carlos Lagrange #84 of the New York Yankees takes the field before the game against the Detroit Tigers at George M. Steinbrenner Field on February 21, 2026 in Tampa, Florida. (Photo by New York Yankees/Getty Images) | Getty Images
Welcome to SB Nation Reacts, a survey of fans across Major League Baseball. Throughout the year we ask questions of the most plugged-in Yankees fans and fans across the country. Sign up here to participate in the weekly emailed surveys.
Spring training is all about two things: staying healthy and staying optimistic. There’s nothing that we can do from the outside about ensuring that the Yankees avoid the injured list, but we can allow ourselves to be hopeful with a clean slate for the new year of baseball.
Tracking prospects goes hand-in-hand with optimism—at least if the entire enterprise hasn’t jaded you too much—so our Reacts survey this week zeroes in on a trio of young Yankees starters who have caught eyes early in camp: hard-throwing Carlos Lagrange, ascendant 2025 arm Elmer Rodríguez, and 2024 first-round draft pick Ben Hess. Across their six combined starts, the trio has thrown 16.2 innings of 2.16 ERA ball, striking out a little over a batter per inning (17 total) and walking five. But which has wowed you the most?
As a secondary question, we’re just doing a quick pulse check on how you’re feeling about the Yankees deciding to retire No. 52 in honor of 2025 Hall of Famer CC Sabathia. Are you in favor?
The United States came up just short in the 2023 World Baseball Classic, losing the championship game against Japan with Shohei Ohtani famously striking out Mike Trout to secure his country's third title.
The Americans were hoping to repeat, having won the tournament for the first time in 2017. Team USA's 2023 squad was loaded on offense but short on starting pitching, which the 2026 roster hopes to correct with the inclusions of Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal.
The Americans went 3-1 in the group stage held at Chase Field in Phoenix, losing to Mexico. Team USA faced a tough path in the knockout stage, beating Venezuela in the quarterfinals and Cuba in the semifinals to set up the showdown with Japan.
Trea Turner led Team USA with a .391 average (9-for-23) with five home runs and 11 RBIs in six games.
Mar 3, 2026; Tampa, FL, USA; New York Yankees second baseman Max Schueman (30) talks to Panama shortstop Jose Caballero (77) in the third inning during spring training at George M. Steinbrenner Field. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images
The Yankees faced an unconventional opponent at George M. Steinbrenner Field today: the Panamanian national team. With the World Baseball Classic on the horizon, the majority of the tournament’s participants played against MLB teams in exhibition contests today. This was one of the more lopsided results: the Yankees had little trouble scoring against Panama’s pitching staff as they cruised to an 11-1 victory in eight innings. Max Fried also threw three scoreless frames in his first Grapefruit League start; friend-turned-foe José Caballero went 0-for-2 with a walk.
The Yankees wasted no time grabbing the initiative this afternoon. A Trent Grisham walk and Jasson Domínguez single set the table with two outs for Ryan McMahon, who lined a single to center to plate both runners and give the Bombers an early 2-0 advantage against Panama starter Jorge Garcia.
Meanwhile, Fried evidently had his groundball stuff working today, as he forced inning-ending double plays in each of the first two innings. The latter twin killing against Christian Bethancourt came with two runners on base as Panama attempted to respond to the Yankees’ scoring outburst. In the third, Fried battled current Yankee teammate José Caballero with two outs; Caballero fouled off several consecutive 3-2 offerings before working a walk on Fried’ ninth pitch. He then went straight back to the dugout when Fried struck out Allen Córdoba to retire the side.
Garcia was relieved by Miguel Cienfuegos, a journeyman reliever in the Padres organization who was actually born in Quebec. Cienfuegos did an excellent job in relief of Garcia, facing the minimum in scoreless two innings of work.
Tim Hill took over for Fried in the fourth inning. Mission accomplished for No. 54, whose fastball topped out at 97 mph this afternoon. He issued three walks, but his ability to keep Panama on the ground prevented any of those free passes from haunting him. The rest of the overall line was three scoreless innings with one hit and one strikeout.
The scrappy Panamanian lineup kept getting runners aboard, but couldn’t find a way to get them in. In the fourth they got two more men on-base against Hill, but Bethancourt flew out on a first-pitch sinker.
Cienfuegos may have had the key to neutralizing the Yankees’ lineup today, but that boon did not extend to the rest of Panama’s pitchers. In the fourth, Erian Rodriguez took over and immediately surrendered a pair of singles to Giancarlo Stanton and McMahon, the former cracking it off the bat at 114.3 mph:
After a walk loaded the bases, J.C. Escarra plated Stanton on a sac fly, then a Max Schuemann 4-6 fielder’s choice ushered in McMahon.
Rodriguez’s troubles continued when he issued two walks to reload the bags for Ben Rice. That forced manager Jose Mayorga to make a change for Kentucky native Mason Vinyard (he’s not actually on Team Panama, he’s in the Yankees’ organization and was made available to Panama if they didn’t want to push their pitching staff). The new hurler was no more capable of throwing strikes; Rice worked a walk to score Schuemann and extend the lead to 5-0 before Domínguez finally rolled over to first.
By this point the Yanks had found plenty of different ways to score, but they had yet to leave the yard until the fifth, when J.C. Escarra pulled his hands in on an Alberto Baldonado fastball and pulled it to right for a line drive homer. Escarra’s first homer of the spring made it 7-0 Bombers.
By the sixth inning, all of the Yankees’ substitutions were in the game, but that didn’t stop the scoring. They loaded the bases again and Jorbit Vivas made good on the rally with a sac fly. Then catcher Ali Sánchez poked an RBI single to left for good measure, growing the margin to 9-0.
Team Panama finally got themselves off the board in the top of the eighth inning thanks to the speed of Orioles prospect Enrique Bradfield Jr. Bradfield got aboard on an infield single against Osvaldo Bido, then promptly stole second and third in quick succession. Then Rubén Tejada—yes, that Rubén Tejada—brought him in on a groundball to first. That speed from Bradfield is what Panama is looking to exploit in the tournament; and frankly, few if any of the lineups they’ll face in Pool A will be as threatening as the Yankee lineup they battled today (even without Aaron Judge).
Then again, that only really extends to the starters—the reserves had their way with these pitchers, too. The defense wasn’t helping matters either. Panama got into their third bases-loaded jam of the game in the eighth thanks to an error on a fielder’s choice. That set up Vivas again, and he stroked a single the other way to score two runs and … end the ballgame.
So this is where I found out the game was being played by World Baseball Classic rules, with a 10-run mercy rule after seven. There was of course no TV or radio broadcast to clue me into this fact. Once the score got to 11-1, the game was marked final on MLB.com. So technically, Vivas got himself a walk-off single in the eighth.
By the way, over in Team USA’s exhibition against the Giants that began a couple hours later, the captain Judge kept himself busy with an RBI single in the first. He walked and singled again before departing as scheduled.
The Yankees will return to traditional Grapefruit League play tomorrow when they head to Fort Myers and take on the Red Sox in the first rivalry game of the spring. Luis Gil will oppose Boston ace Garrett Crochet, with coverage on ESPN and first pitch at 1:05 PM.
