The 2026 World Baseball Classic is just days away, but teams are still making late changes to their rosters.
Manny Barreda Joins Mexico – Starting pitcher Manny Barreda will pitch for Mexico, adding a starter with Major League experience to a squad that hopes to reach the semifinals again in 2026. He’s replacing Taj Bradley, who withdrew to concentrate on winning a roster spot with the Minnesota Twins in spring training.
Barreda, who appeared in three games with Baltimore in 2021, has been a stalwart starter in both leagues in Mexico, posting a career 3.28 ERA over 686 1/3 innings in the country’s winter league, the Liga ARCO Mexicana del Pacifico.
He previously pitched for Mexico at the 2020 Summer Olympics.
Dominican Republic Loses Rojas After Positive PED Test – Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas tested positive for a banned substance, according to Wilber Sanchez, who broke the news last night in a post on the social media network X.
The positive test puts Rojas out for the World Baseball Classic, which follows testing protocols set forth by the World Anti-Doping Association, leaving the D.R. with four outfielders: Oneil Cruz of the Pittsburgh Pirates, Julio Rodriguez of the Seattle Mariners, Juan Soto of the New York Mets, and Fernando Tatis Jr. of the San Diego Padres.
Because the WBC follows the WADA testing protocol, it is possible that Rojas’ positive test will not result in an 80-game suspension from Major League Baseball if the substance he tested positive for is not banned by MLB but is banned by the WADA.
Potential late call-ups for the Dominican squad include Starling Marte of the Kansas City Royals, Teoscar Hernandez of the Los Angeles Dodgers, and Ramon Laureano of the Padres.
Tito Polo, Tayron Guerreros Out For Colombia – Oufielder Tito Polo and pitcher Tayron Guerrero are both out for Colombia.
Guerrero, who is battling for a roster spot with the Boston Red Sox, cited personal reasons for discontinuing his participation with Colombia.
“It’s a really hard day. Not a hard day, but an emotional day. I had to make that decision,” Guerrero, who is in camp on a minor league contract, told The Boston Globe. “But I’m going to make this decision really [worthwhile] by the way that I’m going to do my things here, just to be able to have the opportunity to go back to the big leagues. So that’s a dream that I have.”
Guerrero hasn’t played in MLB since 2019, having played in Nippon Professional Baseball with the Chiba Lotte Marines, in Mexico with the Diablos Rojos de Mexico and the Naranjeros de Hermosillo, and in the minor league systems of both the Los Angeles Angels and Cincinnati Reds since his last MLB appearance with the Miami Marlins in 2019.
Polo’s departure leaves Colombia with Harold Ramirez, Gustavo Campero, Jesus Marriaga, and Texas Rangers prospect Brayan Buelvas in the outfield.
Dylan Covey Added To Great Britain’s Roster – Covey, 34, hasn’t pitched in the Major Leagues since appearing in 28 games with Philadelphia in 2023, and has seen limited action in the Phillies’ and Braves minor league chains over the past two seasons after undergoing surgery on his right thumb in 2023 and suffering a shoulder strain in 2024. The free agent righty will get a chance to audition for another contract should he see action with Great Britain.
Photo: Manny Barreda, show here with the Tomateros de Culiacan, will pitch for Mexico at the 2026 World Baseball Classic. (Photo courtesy of the LAMP)
