The Philadelphia Phillies received difficult news Monday when Major League Baseball announced that center fielder Johan Rojas has been suspended 80 games without pay.
Rojas tested positive for Boldenone, a performance-enhancing drug, triggering an automatic suspension under MLB’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program. The punishment will begin at the start of the 2026 season — and it carries another major consequence.
Rojas will also be ineligible for the postseason.
Phillies React to the Suspension
Reports of a potential suspension had surfaced earlier this month, which is why Rojas was absent from the Dominican Republic roster during the World Baseball Classic. However, without an official ruling at the time, the Phillies continued to use him in Grapefruit League games during spring training.
Once the announcement became official, the team released a brief statement.
“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.”
What It Means for Rojas
The suspension represents a significant setback for the 25-year-old outfielder.
Even before the news broke, Rojas faced an uphill battle to make the Phillies’ Opening Day roster. Philadelphia had been leaning toward using its final bench spot on a versatile utility player, with Dylan Moore emerging as the early favorite.
Outfielder Bryan De La Cruz has also helped his case with a strong spring at the plate.
Still, Rojas remained an important depth piece for the organization. Despite offensive struggles across his first 250 major league games, he offered value as a right-handed center field option and late-inning defensive replacement.
That role now disappears for nearly half the season.
How the Phillies’ Outfield Looks Now
Philadelphia plans to give top prospect Justin Crawford the everyday job in center field.
In left field, Brandon Marsh is expected to platoon with Otto Kemp. Marsh can also shift to center if necessary, giving the Phillies some internal flexibility.
Without Rojas available, however, the team loses a familiar fallback option if injuries strike or if Crawford struggles against left-handed pitching.
Rojas will be eligible to return after the 80th game of the season, but the bigger frustration may come later in the year. Because the suspension also eliminates him from postseason eligibility, the Phillies won’t be able to use his elite speed and defense as a late-game weapon in October.
Another PED Case for the Phillies
Rojas becomes the third Phillies major leaguer suspended for performance-enhancing drugs in less than a year.
Reliever José Alvarado missed 80 games last season after testing positive for exogenous testosterone. More recently, outfielder Max Kepler received a suspension in January after testing positive for Epitrenbolone.
The string of cases has created an uncomfortable trend for the organization.
Potential Depth Options
Without Rojas available, the Phillies’ next most experienced center field option on the 40-man roster is Pedro León.
The 27-year-old Cuban outfielder spent several seasons in the Houston Astros’ minor league system and logged more than 1,700 innings in center field there. Philadelphia claimed León off waivers from Baltimore in November after the Orioles had briefly acquired him from Houston.
León has only seven games of major league experience but has appeared in 400 games at the Triple-A level. After playing extensively in center field during spring training, he was recently optioned to Triple-A and is expected to begin the season there.
Looking Further Down the System
Beyond León, the Phillies’ center field depth becomes much thinner.
Top prospect Dante Nori has primarily played center in the minors and is currently gaining valuable experience while representing Team Italy in the World Baseball Classic. However, the 21-year-old is still early in his development, and a realistic MLB arrival likely comes closer to 2027 than this season.
Another option is Cade Fergus, who has logged over 1,000 minor league innings in center field. But offensive struggles — including a .199 average across 285 minor league games — make him a long-shot candidate.
De La Cruz technically has experience in center field with 61 major league starts, but most of those appearances came earlier in his career. He hasn’t played the position since August 2023.
Limited Help on the Open Market
The Phillies could explore outside options, but the free-agent market for center fielders was already thin during the offseason.
More names may become available soon as teams finalize their rosters and players opt out of minor league deals, but immediate upgrades appear unlikely.
For now, Philadelphia will rely on Crawford, Marsh, and internal depth.
And while Rojas could eventually return later in the summer, the Phillies will have to navigate much of the 2026 season — and any potential playoff run — without him.
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