In a story tonight at The Detroit Free Press, Evan Petzold reports that Javier Báez is ineligible for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 World Baseball Classic … due to a suspension for marijuana use. In the year 2026. When it is legal recreationally in 24 states (and legal at least medically in 40/50). So, so stupid.
But here’s the crazier part: this wasn’t even a recent test.
According to Petzold, Javier Báez can’t play for Team Puerto Rico in the 2026 WBC because he’s serving a suspension for a drug test he took back in March ……….. of 2023!
As a result of that test, Petzold writes, “Báez received a two-year period of ineligibility – April 26, 2024, to April 26, 2026 – from World Baseball Softball Confederation events.” This year’s WBC is in March.
I get that rules are rules, especially when it comes to drug testing in a sport that has a DEEP history of PED usage. But this is a mostly legal recreational drug AND AN EXHIBITION CONTEST. I really can’t believe they’re enforcing it, especially against Javy Báez, who always shines in spotlight moments like the WBC.
In fact, he helped deliver one of the most memorable plays (and images) from any recent World Baseball Classic (outside of the Trout/Ohtani matchup from last time).
(3/14/17) Yadier Molina guns down Nelson Cruz as Javier Baez makes a NO-LOOK tag to end the inning ?#Baseball #WorldBaseballClassic #DominicanRepublic #PuertoRico #Sports pic.twitter.com/P3bD8vqXCC
— World Baseball Classic Highlights ? (@WBCHighlights) February 2, 2026On top of everything else, Puerto Rico was already considering withdrawing from the WBC altogether as 8-10 of their key players (including Francisco Lindor and Carlos Correa) were reportedly denied insurance coverage to participate in the event. For whatever it’s worth, I saw at least one report mention that Javier Báez was also being left out for those reasons. Shrug. I guess it doesn’t matter now.
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