Rojas Out Until Spring
Phillies Outfielder Johan Rojas Undergoes Elbow Surgery, Sidelined Until Spring Training After Suspension
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Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is heading to surgery for a torn ligament in his right elbow and will not return until spring training 2027, the team announced Wednesday AP. The injury — a torn ulnar collateral ligament, or UCL — struck while Rojas was ramping up baseball activities during his 80-game suspension for using the banned steroid Boldenone Newsday.
Rojas had served 68 of his 80 games on the restricted list when the injury emerged on June 8–9, 2026 AP. He was originally set to return June 25. Instead, he will now undergo internal brace surgery and miss the rest of the 2026 season entirely wdtimes.com.
A Suspension That Turned Into a Lost Season
MLB suspended Rojas on March 16, 2026, after independent arbitrator Martin F. Scheinman denied his appeal AP. The banned substance was Boldenone — an anabolic steroid mainly used in veterinary medicine on horses. Under MLB rules, any player suspended for PEDs is also barred from that year's postseason, meaning Rojas' 2026 was already a wash before the elbow gave out Newsday.
The Phillies issued a blunt statement in March:
The Phillies said they were
The team released a statement in March saying they fully support MLB's drug program and were
The Phillies said Wednesday that Rojas suffered right medial elbow discomfort while preparing for his return kdhnews.com. The team said they
UCL Tear Ends What Little Remained of Rojas' 2026
Imaging on June 10 revealed the UCL tear. Rojas will have internal brace surgery — a newer procedure with a faster recovery than traditional Tommy John surgery. Tommy John typically sidelines a player 12 to 18 months. The internal brace method targets a 6-to-9-month return, putting Rojas on track for spring training in February 2027 The Hour.
Rojas loses roughly $395,305 in salary during the suspension alone, based on his $803,500 MLB rate AP. He also loses a full year of development time. At 25 years old, he now enters 2027 with a PED violation on his record and no guarantee of his roster spot.
Rookie Justin Crawford Now Owns Center Field
Rojas was already demoted to Triple-A Lehigh Valley on August 1, 2025, after hitting just .224 with a .569 OPS. That opened the door for rookie Justin Crawford to take over center field. Crawford is struggling at .230 in his debut season but is now the clear starter with no deadline to share playing time chron.com.
Manager Rob Thomson must now piece together outfield depth using players like Steward Berroa and Edmundo Sosa. Analysts expect the Phillies to target a right-handed outfielder before the July 30 trade deadline. Names like Bryan De La Cruz have already surfaced as candidates lmtonline.com.
Phillies Face Mounting PED Concerns Across the Roster
Rojas is the third Phillies player to fail a PED test in roughly 12 months. Pitcher José Alvarado served an 80-game suspension in 2025 for a weight-loss drug containing exogenous testosterone bdtonline.com. The back-to-back cases have raised questions about the team's player development culture and whether young players feel pressure to use banned substances to stay on the roster.
Rojas once posted 15 Defensive Runs Saved in 2023, making him one of the best gloves in the outfield. By 2025, that number had fallen to just 1 DRS. His offensive numbers ranked him 36% below league average, with a 64 wRC+ since 2024 oskaloosa.com. The injury and suspension together raise serious questions about whether he can reclaim a starting role when spring training arrives.
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