CLEARWATER, Fla. — Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is facing an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball for a failed performance-enhancing drug test, two league sources confirmed to The Athletic on Tuesday.
Rojas, who is appealing the testing results, was set to compete for the Dominican Republic during the World Baseball Classic. He dropped out of the tournament last week.
The 25-year-old entered Phillies camp as something of an afterthought; his spot on the Phillies’ Opening Day roster was firmly in jeopardy. The Phillies could carry him as the last man on the bench, but Rojas has a minor-league option and can be sent to Triple-A Lehigh Valley for regular playing time.
Now, it’s possible he does not appear in regular-season games at any level until late June.
Reporter Wilber Sánchez first broke the news of Rojas’ ban from the WBC. Rojas did not report to Miami over the weekend with the rest of the D.R. team.
Rojas played in Sunday’s Grapefruit League game for the Phillies, starting in center field against the New York Yankees. He did not reach base and struck out once in two plate appearances. He worked out with the Phillies in Clearwater on Tuesday. He still has a locker in the team’s clubhouse. Whether the Phillies continue to play Rojas in exhibition games while the appeal process unfolds is unclear. He is permitted to play.
Johan Rojas appeared in 71 games, and totaled 172 plate appearances, for the Phillies last season. (Joe Puetz / Getty Images)
The positive test, sources said, came during the offseason. The appeals process is typically shrouded; teams often do not know whether one of their players is appealing a test result. The WBC altered that timeline. In addition, Rojas recently fired an agent he had hired sometime during the offseason, according to sources.
For Rojas, a fringe player who will be out of minor-league options in 2027, a potential suspension has significant ramifications. Although he is an elite defender, Rojas has failed to establish himself at the plate. He was demoted to Triple A on Aug. 1 last season after hitting .177/.245/.229 with a .474 OPS over his last 50 games, and was not included on the Phillies’ postseason roster because of a leg injury. He is a career .252/.294/.340 hitter in 250 big-league games. The Phillies have always been enticed by the idea of Rojas. He has yet to refine his game and profiles as a fourth or fifth outfielder in the majors.
His exclusion would hurt the Phillies’ depth. They do not have a robust outfield mix. Brandon Marsh is expected to be in left field, with rookie Justin Crawford in center and Adolis García in right. Otto Kemp, who has spent most of his professional career as an infielder, is attempting to learn left field. Pedro León and Bryan De La Cruz are in camp fighting for a job.
But prospect Gabriel Rincones Jr. is sidelined by persistent knee issues and Rojas’ status is now uncertain. If one of the current group gets injured, the Phillies will have trouble backfilling. They stand to benefit from an outfield addition, even on a minor-league deal, later this month when other clubs make cuts.
