Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Johan Rojas Suspended 80 Games Following Positive PED Test
The Phillies have enough to worry about heading into 2026. A packed roster, a competitive NL East, and the usual pressure that comes with playing in Philadelphia. The last thing they needed was another PED headline. And yet, here we are.
On March 16, 2026, MLB officially announced that Outfielder Johan Rojas had been suspended 80 games without pay after testing positive for Boldenone, an anabolic steroid. Rojas appealed. The appeal failed. And now, one of the Phillies’ center field depth options won’t be available until well past the All-Star break.
What Rojas Tested Positive For
Boldenone is an anabolic steroid—the kind of substance that has no business showing up in a professional athlete’s system if they’re serious about playing by the rules. MLB’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program is about as forgiving as a Philly crowd after a dropped fly ball, and Rojas found that out the hard way.
The suspension kicks off at the start of the 2026 season, meaning Rojas misses roughly half the year. He’ll also be ineligible for the postseason, which stings even more if the Phillies make a run. Adding insult to injury, Rojas was removed from the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic roster after the positive test surfaced. That’s a lot of fallout for a 25-year-old still trying to establish himself at the big-league level.
How Rojas’s Absence Impacts the Phillies
Rojas wasn’t exactly locking up a starting spot this spring. His numbers heading into 2026 weren’t inspiring: a. 167/.259/.467 line across 24 at-bats in Spring Training. In 71 games with Philly over his career, he posted a .224 average and a .569 OPS with one home run and 12 stolen bases. The stolen bases are nice. Everything else? Less so.
Still, Rojas represented the best right-handed-hitting option in center field if the team needed one. That kind of depth matters over a 162-game season, especially when injuries inevitably hit.
The Phillies’ plan now? Play Justin Crawford every day in center and platoon Brandon Marsh in left field alongside Otto Kemp. Names like Pedro Leon, Dante Nori, Cade Fergus, and Bryan De La Cruz are also in the mix to fill the roster gap Rojas leaves behind. The organization will sort it out, but it’s a headache nobody wanted.
The team’s official statement didn’t pull punches: “The Phillies fully support Major League Baseball’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program and are disappointed to hear today’s news of Johan’s violation.”
Rojas Becomes the Third Phillies Player To Fail a PED Test
Here’s where things get uncomfortable. Rojas isn’t just a cautionary tale—he’s the third Philadelphia Phillies player to test positive for PEDs in less than a calendar year. Jose Alvarado and Max Kepler got there first. Three players from the same organization in under 12 months is the kind of stat line that raises eyebrows around the league and in the front office.
To be fair, baseball’s PED problem isn’t unique to Philadelphia. Just earlier this month, Atlanta Braves DH Jurickson Profar was handed a 162-game suspension after his second positive PED test, forfeiting his entire $15 million salary in the process. The league isn’t messing around with repeat offenders.
What Comes Next For Rojas
Rojas is 25. This isn’t a career death sentence, but it’s a serious detour. He was already battling to carve out a role on a roster loaded with outfield options, and the suspension makes that climb steeper. Once he’s eligible to return, he’ll need to earn back trust—from the coaching staff, the front office, and frankly, the fans.
The talent is there. The speed is real. But right now, Rojas has 80 games to sit with his choices, and the Phillies have a roster puzzle to solve without him.
