Major League Baseball announced on Monday that Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has received an 80-game suspension after testing positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing substance, in violation of Major League Baseball’s Joint Drug Prevention and Treatment Program. It was reported a couple of weeks ago that Rojas had tested positive for a PED, but that he was appealing. It now appears the appeals process has been completed, as Rojas will begin serving his suspension to begin the 2026 season.
Rojas, 25, has been Philadelphia’s center fielder for a decent chunk of the past three seasons. He gets great marks for his defense and also steals bases, but his offense has been more questionable. Since the start of 2024, he has a .237/.279/.312 batting line. That translates to a 64 wRC+, indicating he was 36% below league average at the plate in that time.
Despite his assets, the lack of offense has pushed the Phillies to move on from relying on Rojas. They acquired Harrison Bader at last year’s deadline. Bader became a free agent at season’s end, but the Phils plan to give prospect Justin Crawford the job.
Rojas could have started 2026 as a fourth outfielder or perhaps gotten regular playing time in the minors. If Crawford struggled in his first exposure to major league pitching, Rojas could have been a speed-and-defense fallback. That’s now off the table for the first half of the season. Rojas could return in the second half, but players who receive PED suspensions aren’t eligible for the postseason.
Without Rojas, the Phils feel a bit light in terms of center field depth. Left fielder Brandon Marsh has experience there but is probably stretched defensively. Pedro León is on the 40-man but has just seven big league games under his belt. Utility player Dylan Moore has some limited experience in center. He’s not on the roster but could be selected to serve in a multi-positional bench role.
As Opening Day gets closer, some other guys may become available. As teams make their final roster decisions, some guys will end up on waivers or in free agency. Perhaps the Phillies can add some extra center field coverage in the coming weeks.
