Facing suspension | Sports Daily Newsletter

As you may have heard on Tuesday, Johan Rojas tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and is facing an 80-game suspension by MLB.

Rojas plans to appeal the suspension, and the MLB hasn’t yet contacted the Phillies about his status. The center fielder was scheduled to play for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic, but didn’t join the team in Miami over the weekend.

The Phillies’ outfield depth would be diminished by a suspension to Rojas, as Brandon Marsh, Justin Crawford, and Adolis García are locked into outfield spots, while Otto Kemp hasn’t been a full-time outfielder.

A situation like this wouldn’t be a huge deal for some teams. The Phillies, however, are not one of those teams. They don’t have a choice but to scavenge for someone who at least looks like a center fielder, writes columnist David Murphy.

In other news, with the World Baseball Classic opening on Thursday, former Phillies pitcher Phillippe Aumont will return to the mound with Team Canada. The 37-year-old left baseball to become a farmer. Now, he’ll get the chance to face his old team in a tuneup.

— Isabella DiAmore, @phillysport, sports.daily@inquirer.com.

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❓What are your thoughts on Rojas’ potential suspension and how it will impact the Phillies? Email us back for a chance to be featured in the newsletter.

Change is coming to the Eagles’ defense. Of the Eagles’ 19 pending unrestricted free agents, nine are on defense and four — Jaelan Phillips, Nakobe Dean, Reed Blankenship, and Adoree’ Jackson — were starters for most of the 2025 season.

Some positions have more clear-cut internal replacements than others. Some pending free agents are likely higher priorities for retention than others.

Here’s a look at where the Eagles stand with their pending defensive free agents.

Andrea Peterson is in her 12th season at the helm for Neumann Goretti. She is the most accomplished girls’ high school basketball coach in the area.

Somehow, she manages to run her childcare business in Delaware County, coach Neumann Goretti, which is really a 12-month long responsibility, runs her AAU Philly Legacy program, while raising her sibling’s three children, easily working between 70 to 80 hours a week during the four-month high school basketball season.

For those that know Peterson, they wouldn’t expect anything less.

Owen Tippett has style. On Saturday, the Flyers’ social media accounts had a picture of Tippett in his gameday fit, sporting a Kith sweater, baggy black jeans, and sunglasses. He followed that up with a Canadian tuxedo, fittingly in Toronto, on Monday.

Now, this isn’t about fashion, instead it’s about the old-fashioned mantra: “If you look good, you feel good,” and right now, the Flyers need to Tippett to step up with Travis Konecny’s status up in the air.

Even without their leading goal scorer, the Flyers have won three straight after a 3-2 shootout win against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Here are four numbers to know.

South Jersey’s Lavar Scott grew up racing on dirt tracks with his family. When he turned 15, he wanted to pursue a career in racing, which meant moving to Charlotte, N.C.

Six years ago, he was accepted into the NASCAR Drive for Diversity program and worked his way toward racing at the highest level. Now he’s one step from the sport’s top tier — and is already giving back to the Philly area.

The Eagles drafted first-round wideouts in back-to-back years in 2020 (Jalen Reagor) and 2021 (DeVonta Smith). Prior to that, who was the last receiver they drafted in the first round?

D) Nelson Agholor in 2015.

What are the Flyers’ plans for the NHL trade deadline?

You can ask that question and more during a Reddit AMA with the Inquirer’s Jackie Spiegel on Wednesday in the r/Flyers Subreddit.

We asked: Which of the Eagles’ pending free agents should Roseman prioritize re-signing? Among your responses:

Dollars and sense drives these decisions. We have no tight ends and few edge rushers on the roster today. Signing Goedert and Phillips makes sense if their contracts fit the budget. The pressure is on Howie to again figure it out, make the right moves and keep the Super Bowl window open. — Tom E.

Bring back Goedert, Dean and Phillips — why are they so intent on moving on from Goedert? None of the other tight ends on the roster contributed at all last year. — Richard E.

Phillips and Dean are players that the BIRDS should resign. Dean is the play caller for the D and is tough. Phillips brings that outside rush which we desperately need. — Tom G.

Free agent must keepers: P Braden Mann, OLB Jaelan Phillips, TE Dallas Goedert, LB Nakobe Dean. Dump List- T. O. 2.0 WR A. J. Brown. Off to the Raiders or New England. Enough with his disruptive nonsense. — Ronald R.

Make it a priority to resign Dallas Goedert who had his best season this past year 60 receptions for 591 yards and 11 TD’s. At 6-5 256 he make an excellent target. When Brown and others were failing Dallas was there for Hurts when he most needed him. — Everett S.

All of them. — Paul D.

We compiled today’s newsletter using reporting from Alex Coffey, Scott Lauber, David Murphy, Jeff Neiburg, Olivia Reiner, Matt Breen, Ryan Mack, Kerith Gabriel, Jackie Spiegel, Jonathan Tannenwald, Joseph Santoliquito, and Devin Jackson.

By submitting your written, visual, and/or audio contributions, you agree to The Inquirer’s Terms of Use, including the grant of rights in Section 10.

Have a wonderful Wednesday, and thanks for getting your morning started with me. Kerith will catch back up with you in Thursday’s newsletter. — Bella