Source: Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas faces 80-game suspension for failed drug test
The Phillies say they have not been contacted about the status of Rojas, who will appeal the suspension, the source said.
Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas tested positive for a performance-enhancing drug and is facing an 80-game suspension by Major League Baseball, a league source confirmed Tuesday.
Rojas will appeal the test result, the source said.
Phillies officials said Tuesday that MLB hasn’t contacted the team about Rojas’ status, although manager Rob Thomson said he was aware of reporter Wilber Sánchez’s post over the weekend that Rojas had failed a drug test.
» READ MORE: Johan Rojas’ potential PED suspension leaves Phillies no choice but to act (again)
Rojas was at the Phillies’ spring training complex on Tuesday but did not speak with the media. Officials from MLB, the MLB Players’ Association, and Rojas’ agent, Rafa Nieves, declined to comment.
Rojas 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. D.R. general manager Nelson Cruz announced Monday that Rojas withdrew from the tournament for “personal reasons,” adding that the outfielder could explain himself at a later time.
The Phillies’ outfield depth would be diminished by a suspension to Rojas. Brandon Marsh, rookie Justin Crawford, and Adolis García are locked into outfield spots along with Otto Kemp, who hasn’t been a full-time outfielder.
Rojas was vying with veteran utility man Dylan Moore and fellow outfielders Pedro León and Bryan De La Cruz for the final spot on the bench. Rojas and León are on the 40-man roster. Moore and De La Cruz are nonroster invitees to camp, although Moore is due a $100,000 retention bonus to go to the minors if the Phillies don’t add him to the 26-man roster five days before opening day.
Rojas, 25, is regarded as an elite defender in center field but hasn’t produced much at the plate since an impressive 59-game debut as a rookie in 2023. He batted .224 with a .569 OPS in 172 plate appearances last season and got optioned to triple A midway through the year.
Among 316 players with at least 500 plate appearances since the beginning of the 2024 season, Rojas ranks 308th with a .591 OPS.
It’s unclear whether Rojas will continue to play in Grapefruit League games during his appeal.
Fifty years ago, the All-Star Game came to Philadelphia as part of the bicentennial celebration. Larry Bowa was among five Phillies who represented the National League. With the Midsummer Classic returning to town next month, Bowa joined Phillies Extra to recall the atmosphere surrounding the 1976 game and being an All-Star at Veterans Stadium, as well as the state of the current Phillies. Watch here.
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