MIAMI, FLORIDA – SEPTEMBER 05: Johan Rojas #18 of the Philadelphia Phillies walks to the dugout during the third inning against the Miami Marlins at loanDepot park on September 05, 2024 in Miami, Florida. (Photo by Carmen Mandato/Getty Images)
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The Philadelphia Phillies are nearing Opening Day with largely the same group as they had last year returning once again.
After the team reunited with Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto, it is gearing up for at least one more shot at the World Series with that pair alongside familiar faces like Bryce Harper, Trea Turner and Zack Wheeler.
But as Phillies fans wait for the season to officially kick off, they will soon have the chance to see several key members of the team participate in some competitive baseball as part of the World Baseball Classic.
Philadelphia Phillies Outfielder Johan Rojas Apparently Removed From World Baseball Classic
Harper, Schwarber and Brad Keller will be playing for Team USA, Aaron Nola will represent Team Italy, Christopher Sanchez will play for Team Dominican Republic and several more. But on Sunday, news surfaced that a familiar Phillies outfielder who was expected to participate in the tournament will miss it with some potential punishment affecting his Major League Baseball season ahead.
Rojas was expected to report along with the rest of the Dominican Republic’s World Baseball Classic roster on Sunday but was evidently missing. In the wake of that update, Mixael Antonia Rosa reported that Rojas would no longer be participating in the tournament.
Following that update, a report surfaced that he had tested positive for a banned substance, which will also impact his season with the Phillies.
“Dominican outfielder Johan Rojas of the Philadelphia Phillies has tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance and will not be eligible to participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic,” international baseball insider Wilber Sanchez reported on X, formerly Twitter. “The suspension rules him out of the international tournament and also affects his battle for an outfield spot during the team’s Spring Training.”
Philadelphia Phillies Johan Rojas Expected To Receive MLB Punishment For Banned Substance Violation
Rojas has earned spots on the Phillies’ big-league club in each of the last three seasons, though he has struggled to seize an everyday position. His calling card has been strong defense, but he batted just .224 last year as the Phillies have sought some more consistent offensive production from the outfield.
Going into next season, the team released Nick Castellanos and signed Adolis Garcia for a corner outfield role, with top prospect Justin Crawford taking the inside line for another everyday outfield position as well. Brandon Marsh and Otto Kemp seemed likely to edge Rojas out of the competition, and the news of a suspension surely wouldn’t help his chances of bouncing back next season.
Initially, there was speculation that Rojas was suspended from the World Baseball Classic due to marijuana use, which is banned in the tournament but not from MLB. But Sanchez indicated that was not the case and that Rojas would soon receive an official punishment from MLB as well.
“In the next few hours MLB will make it official,” Sanchez reported late on Sunday night.
Though he has made some memorable contributions to the Phillies’ regular season success in the last few seasons, Rojas already seemed to be pushed out of the big-league outfield competition going into next season. If he does indeed face significant punishment for banned substance use, that will serve as another setback in his young career.
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