Mere days after news broke that Max Kepler signed a contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, another suspended outfielder from the 2025 Philadelphia Phillies reportedly ran into some bad luck: Johan Rojas tore his UCL and won't return until 2027.
There was no official confirmation of the injury outside of MLB insider Bob Nightengale, but Rojas was ramping back up to get into game action. He was eligible to begin a minor-league rehab assignment this week, with the end date of suspension coming on June 25.
From a roster standpoint, nothing should change following this news. Rojas will remain on the restricted list until that date so that he can fully serve his punishment, at which point the Phillies will transfer him directly to the 60-day injured list.
A right-handed hitting outfielder, Rojas' return could have helped patch the team's biggest need. Instead, expect the front office to be extra aggressive in the months leading up to the trade deadline.
Wasted year department: Philadelphia Phillies OF Johan Rojas, who was suspended for PEDs and ineligible to play in the postseason, now won't be back at all this year. He has a UCL tear and will be out until 2027.
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) June 10, 2026
Johan Rojas' season-ending injury may have sealed his long-term fate with Phillies
Rojas, who was suspended around the beginning of camp, got to play in 10 spring training contests while appealing the ruling. His offensive downturn from the last few years continued over that stretch — he posted a 26 wRC+ and .468 OPS — though there was no question that he could provide positive value with his speed and defense.
Alas, his suspension was upheld, and one of the starting outfield jobs went to Otto Kemp, who promptly lost the gig. The trio of Adolis Garcia, Brandon Marsh, and Justin Crawford has held down the fort for most of the season, but the latter continues to struggle against left-handed pitching. Rojas, who owns a career .618 OPS versus southpaws, wouldn't be much of an upgrade, but he would be one more right-handed bat for Don Mattingly to deploy.
Now, that possibility is off the table and it's fair to question the 25-year-old's future in Philadelphia. His stock has never come close to matching his rookie breakout (when he hit .302/.342/.430), though his brilliant glove work and blazing speed does make him an ideal fourth outfielder.
If the Phillies acquire a long-term outfield starter at the trade deadline this year, that could seriously jeopardize Rojas' standing. But even if they only bring in a rental to pair with Garcia (who is playing on a one-year deal), the team cannot move forward from this injury-suspension combo and expect Rojas to play on an everyday basis.
Think of it like this: In what was shaping up to be the most important season of his career, Rojas now won't be seen at all. As far as wasted years go, it's hard to top that.
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