Outfielder Johan Rojas just made his pursuit of a roster spot with the Phillies much tougher. Major League Baseball has reportedly suspended the Phillies center fielder for 80 games for violating the league’s substance abuse policy. The test was apparently taken over the winter and came to light because of Rojas’ inclusion in the World Baseball Classic (WBC). The 25-year-old had pulled out of the WBC last week and played for the Phillies Sunday in a Grapefruit League game against the New York Yankees. He is appealing the suspension.
According to Matt Gelb and Charlotte Varnes of The Athletic, Rojas still has his locker in the Phillies clubhouse in Clearwater. He is also eligible to continue playing in Grapefruit League games while the suspension is being appealed, but it’s not clear if the Phillies will have him in the lineup, but he was not in Tuesday’s game against the Rays.
If the suspension is upheld, it is going to leave the Phillies a little thinner than they might have liked to be in the outfield department. For now, the starting outfield has a platoon of Brandon Marsh (vs RHP) and Otto Kemp (vs LHP) in left field, Justin Crawford in center field, and Adolis Garcia in right field. Gabriel Rincones Jr. and Pedro Leon are the two other outfielders on the 40-man roster and Rincones has been hampered by a sore knee and has yet to play this spring. The only other outfielder in camp with any MLB experience is Bryan De La Cruz, who is coming off an MVP winter league season in the Dominican Republic and looking to make the Phillies Opening Day roster. De La Cruz is hitting .214 (3-14) with a home run thus far in spring games and Leon is hitting. 286 (4-14) with no home runs and two RBI with the Phillies. Veteran Dylan Moore, also in camp as a non-roster invitee, can also play some outfield, but the Phillies may want a little more depth especially is Rincones does not get healthy and be able to hit the field or if another injury pops up.
Jose Alvarado missed 80 games last season for the Phillies when he was suspended for violating the league’s drug policy and former Phillies outfielder Max Kepler, who remains unsigned, will also need to serve out an 80 game suspension for his failing drug test. The news of Rojas’ suspension came on the same day that Jurickson Profar of the Braves was hit with a 162 game suspension for his second failed PED test. His suspension is also being appealed.
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