Sports

Phillies' Rojas Tests Positive for PEDs, Out of WBC

Do the Phillies have a cheating problem or does league-wide data show there's nothing to worry about?

MAR 2·Updated MAR 3

Phillies' Rojas Tests Positive for PEDs, Out of WBC

Story

Above: The Philadelphia Phillies' Johan Rojas poses for portrait day in Clearwater, Fla., on Feb. 19. Image credit: Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images

The Facts

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas has tested positive for a performance-enhancing substance, according to reports from Latin American reporter Wilber Sanchez. As a result, Rojas has been ruled ineligible to participate in the 2026 World Baseball Classic.
Wearemitu
The Liberty Line
Rojas was expected to report with the Dominican Republic roster for the World Baseball Classic, but did not show up when the team began its concentration. Reports of a positive substance test followed his absence.
Forbes
De Último Minuto
The World Baseball Classic and Major League Baseball operate under different testing programs with different rules, meaning a positive test that results in removal from the WBC does not automatically translate into an 80-game MLB suspension.
The Liberty Line
Wearemitu
Rojas batted .224 last season and has been recognized primarily for his defensive abilities in center field. He was already competing for an outfield spot during spring training before news of the positive test emerged.
Heavy
The Times of India
The Phillies have dealt with multiple performance-enhancing substance cases recently, including reliever Jose Alvarado's 80-game suspension in 2025 and Max Kepler's suspension in January this year.
The Liberty Line
Wearemitu
It is expected that Major League Baseball will make a formal announcement regarding any potential sanction for Rojas in the coming hours. Whether MLB confirms a violation under its own program remains pending as of the initial reports.
The Times of India
De Último Minuto

Sources Split

LEFT

CENTER

RIGHT

ESTAB
CRIT

CENTER

PRO
ESTAB

The Spin

Narrative A

Johan Rojas is now the third instance of performance-enhancing abuse in the Phillies. After José Alvarado's 80-game suspension and Max Kepler's January 2026 ban, Rojas has now tested positive for what he clearly should've known was prohibited by the MLB and WBC. Three PED cases in recent seasons point less to coincidence and more to a troubling pattern within the organization's oversight and clubhouse culture.

EssentiallySports

Narrative B

While the Phillies may be facing some unresolved questions, the broader statistics surrounding PED use should put fans at ease. MLB conducted 11,700 drug tests in 2025 and issued just two suspensions leaguewide, a sharp contrast to earlier eras that saw double-digit bans. Therapeutic use exemptions have also fallen 37% since 2020, suggesting the system is tighter and PED abuse far less widespread than it was historically.