Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas may miss a significant portion of the 2026 season due to an 80-game suspension for violating Major League Baseball’s policy on performance-enhancing substances. Multiple reports have surfaced in the past two days about the suspension, and The Athletic has reported that Rojas is appealing the decision.
Rojas, who is 25 years old, arrived at BayCare Ballpark later than usual on Wednesday but was included in the lineup for an exhibition game against Team Canada. He played center field and batted seventh.
Initially, Rojas had planned to play for the Dominican Republic in the upcoming World Baseball Classic but withdrew from participation. Nelson Cruz, general manager of the Dominican Republic team, cited “personal reasons” as the explanation for Rojas’ absence.
The Phillies began spring training with Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp expected to cover left field, Justin Crawford (the team’s No. 3 prospect) in center field, and Adolis García in right field. If Crawford were unable to play or struggled during the season, Rojas was considered likely to be called up as his replacement in center field.
With Rojas potentially unavailable for half of the season, Marsh appears to be the leading candidate to move into center field. Pedro León is another option; he is currently one of only a few healthy outfielders on Philadelphia’s 40-man roster besides García, Marsh, and Kemp. León has experience with 205 games played at center field during his Minor League career.
The organization may seek additional outfield options outside its current roster before Triple-A Lehigh Valley begins its season on March 27. Gabriel Rincones Jr., ranked as Philadelphia’s No. 8 prospect and also on the 40-man roster, has been sidelined this spring with knee tendinitis. Other non-roster outfielders present at camp include Bryan De La Cruz along with prospects Dante Nori (No. 7) and Dylan Campbell.
Last season, Rojas posted a .224 batting average with a .569 OPS over 172 plate appearances. Over parts of three seasons combined, he holds a .252 average with a .633 OPS but has consistently provided strong defense in center field.
The Philadelphia Phillies are one of Major League Baseball’s oldest franchises and have won World Series titles in both 1980 and 2008 (official website). The club plays home games at Citizens Bank Park since its opening in 2004 (official website) and represents Philadelphia regionally and nationally through both competition and community engagement (official website). The team’s operations are managed by executives including a chief executive officer and general manager (official website).
