Major League Baseball announced today 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 getting 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, it’s possible some other guys 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.
Photo courtesy of Kelley L Cox, Imagn Images
We should start trying the PEDs that actually make you hit better, mmkay?
After two seasons of 67 and 57 OPS+ he must have seen the writing on the wall and taken the risk.
Now he is definitely toast.
He did not know what he was taking. Big misunderstanding. Lol.
Dubya said he was misuninformed.
That’s unfortunate.
So was Drumpf.
Good to know.
would be funny for a player to come out and say “yeah i doped to try to get paid in arb because I just cant hit”
There were reports out there that Miguel Rojas was suspended. I’m so glad it’s not true. Would have been a huge bummer.
He took the term “horse pill” as literal sense and took a steroid pill medication for horses. (Will Ferrell What an idiot gif here)
BYE, FELICIA.
Get these cheaters off my team already. I’m already dreading the bad juju that will come with tramposo Alvarado. I can’t forgive this in the modern age. They know the rules, and so do I.
What is with the Phillies and PED suspensions
MLB front offices don’t like Phillies fans because they are smarter than the people in the front offices and they let them know it.
Another Dominican. *yawn*
Like Max Kepler
another racist moron, “yawn”
I hope Evan Drellich called Miguel Rojas personally after that blunder. This isn’t the type of news to mess around with even as a genuine mistake.
Who’s that?
Isn’t this a horse steroid? Ha
Most of these steroids are meant for Horses….at least the old school ones players were using during the steroid era anyways.
Apparently he’s been hanging out with Bob Baffert.
Neigh…
Where’s Profars appeal?
He needs to stop horsing around…
In unrelated news on a positive note, Johan will be running in the Derby this year…
Yes, he’s in Jayson Werth’s Icon Racing Stable!
I thought his excuse was going to be he took them because he wanted to be hung like a horse.
Boldenone sounds like a drug that gives you courage.
“Put him in the bathroom” (A Bronx Tale movie reference) w/ Profar.
“The saddest thing in life is wasted talent. You can have all the talent in the world, but if you don’t do right, you ain’t gonna be a thing.”
Learn your rules! You’d better learn your rules!
Here are ALL the current MLB players that have been suspended for PED cheating….What do they all have in common? A clue…even Max Kepler. Thirteen for thirteen.
Rojas, Jorge Polanco, Noelvi Marte, Starling Marge, Gregory Santos, Jurickson Profar, Frankie Montas, Emanuel Clase, Jose Alvarado, Orelvis Martinez, Fernando Tatis Jr, Max Kepler and Romon Laureano.
Do they all eat Wheaties?
Bad guess Mr. Chicken (Wade Boggs Reference).
Is it something to do with their hairdos?
I believe Clase is suspended for his gambling association.
Tiger….both.
PED suspension, May 1st 2020.
Lots of ringworm being picked up in visiting clubhouses
If you ain’t cheatin’, you ain’t tryin’.
If you ain’t cheating, you have integrity. My best against your best. Not my best against your chemically dependent best.
Every single person with an IQ over about 60 that has ever existed and will ever exist has cheated at something at some point in their life.
You are not pristine. You cannot be. That is what makes you human.
Do not judge somebody against an ideal that cannot exist.
Huh?
When I was ten at monopoly.
What must it be like to live in your world.
When you take PEDs, you are stealing from other people. You are stealing from the pitchers who you get the hits off of. You are stealing from fans. You are stealing from the owner and everyone who works for the opposing team.
You’re a thief. And I would hope to God that this board is not full of thieves.
We know of one. I hope there are not too many others.
That’s a nice speech, but it’s also a lazy excuse.
Phillies also have Bryan De La Cruz in camp. He has had a good spring. He’s an option to make the team. He’s had a far better spring training than Moore has & is a natural outfielder
But far from being a CF, defensively.
Getting busted for a known PED in spring training is just ridiculous. I mean come on dude at least fake ADD or go to Europe for something fancy.
Barry says bring back the CLEAR
Does anyone else notice that the players MLB catches testing positive for steroids look nothing bulked up like the true steroid players from the steroid era.
Rojas
Profar
Kepler
Tatis
Noelvi Marte
Why aren’t they catching any players testing positive that look like McGwire, Sosa, or Canseco?
30 years of R&D has gone into the latest line of designer roids
And players know not to train to blow themselves up and attract attention.
According to this site, no rookie should ever be considered for a role on the team because “they lack Major League experience.”. Pedro Leon can’t be considered as he only has 7 games in the majors. Seems like a very weak excuse.
Leon is about to turn 28 and isnt the level of known quantity or high end prospect a team with WS aspirations would be turning to as a solid option in this situation.
You think if he was cheating, he would occasionally be able to hit the ball. This is actually a good thing for the Phillies. For whatever reason they never felt like moving on and now they have no choice.
Because Joe Torre is in the office or sneaks in to the office and pulls the positive test belonging to any Yankee and Verlander.Think back to days when Cano was positive but it wasn’t until Cano left NY that they finally busted him.
Call the Marlins and ask about Esteury Ruiz. Trade him for a minor league arm.
What the heck this is something for horses?
I know a center fielder available.
Why can’t Perry MORONassian the GM of the Angels get an 80 game suspension for being incompetent