Philadelphia Phillies outfielder receives 80 game suspension from Major League Baseball

The 2026 season hasn't even started yet and there has already been another suspension in Major League Baseball.

Not long after it was revealed that All-Star outfielder Jurickson Profar tested positive for PEDs a second time - resulting in a 162 game ban - fellow NL East outfielder Johan Rojas was also announced to have failed a test.

As it is Rojas' first offence, the outfielder for the Philadelphia Phillies is facing an 80 game suspension. Like Profar, Rojas is planning to appeal.

MLB Insiders Jon Heyman and Wilbur Sanchez have both reported on the news, which has not received an official announcement from either the Phillies or the MLB.

Rojas has appeared in a total of 250 games over the last three seasons for Philadelphia.

While he doesn't have much to offensively, he is considered a speedster and glove-first centre fielder.

While PED suspension have become rarer in recent years, they still do happen. In 2024, former Toronto Blue Jays infielder Orelvis Martinez got hit with an 80-game PED ban one game into major league career after testing positive for clomiphene.

After failing to reach the majors again, he was was eventually designated for assignment and picked up by the Washington Nationals

Despite his history with the club, Rojas' role with the Phillies was uncertain heading into 2026.

His lacked of offence had pushed him down the depth chart and he was likely headed for fourth outfielder duty to begin the season.

There has been no word yet on when the appeals hearing might be, but it is a situation that all parties would like to resolve before opening day.

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