Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is reportedly facing an 80-game suspension after testing positive for a banned performance-enhancing substance.
Multiple reports indicate that Rojas is appealing the suspension.
Rojas Removed From World Baseball Classic Roster
Reporter Wilber Sánchez initially reported the failed PED drug test on Sunday night. This made Rojas ineligible for the World Baseball Classic.
Nelson Cruz, the Dominican Republic team’s general manager, informed reporters on Monday that Rojas was removed from the roster due to “personal matters.”
MLB Network’s Jon Heyman and The Athletic reported that Rojas failed a PED drug test and is appealing an 80-game suspension.
Details of the Positive Test
According to The Athletic, the positive PED test occurred during the offseason.
Rojas, who is 25 years old, played in 71 games last season for the Phillies. He posted a career-low .569 OPS over 172 plate appearances.
Rojas is allowed to continue playing during the appeal process, according to The Athletic.
Phillies’ Recent PED Suspensions
Rojas is the third Phillies player to face a PED suspension in the past year.
Phillies relief pitcher José Alvarado was suspended for 80 games last May. The reason was a positive test for exogenous testosterone, which the team said came from a weight loss drug he took.
In January, Max Kepler received an 80-game suspension for testing positive for Epitrenbolone, a metabolite of Trenbolone. The Associated Press reported that Epitrenbolone is used in some products in body-building stores and was used in products promoting cattle growth.
Kepler, who played with the Phillies last season and was a free agent at the time of his suspension, was the first player MLB suspended for the substance since public announcements of the penalty details began in 2005.
Rojas’s Future with the Phillies
Rojas was participating in spring training, competing for the club’s 26th roster spot. A suspension would remove him from consideration and raise questions about his future.