Phillies have a PED problem after yet another suspension CLEARWATER, Fla. — The Philadelphia Phillies face mounting scrutiny over a recurring issue involving performance-enhancing drugs (PEDs), as the team has been hit with its eighth suspension this season, tying them with Seattle for the most in Major League Baseball history. Johan Rojas became the latest Phillie to be suspended after testing positive for boldenone, a banned substance, prompting an arbitrator to uphold an 80-game ban. This marks the third Phillies player linked to the team to receive a PED suspension within a single calendar year, a record that has never been matched by any other franchise. The Phillies’ struggles with PED violations date back to 2009, when J.C. Romero was suspended. Since then, the team has seen suspensions involving players like Freddy Galvis, Carlos Ruiz, Antonio Bastardo, Daniel Stumpf, Alec Asher, and J.C. Romero. Adding to the tally, Max Kepler, a free agent who played for the Phillies last season, was suspended for 80 games in January after testing positive for a PED. Including Kepler, the Phillies now have nine suspensions tied to the team in 2026, a number that underscores the league’s growing concern over the organization’s history. Manager Rob Thomson, who took over as manager in 2022, has dismissed the suspensions as isolated incidents, stating, “They are three totally different situations. So no, I do not think it’s an issue.” However, the team’s front office has remained silent on the matter, citing an MLB rule that prohibits commentaries on suspensions. The Phillies issued a statement expressing support for MLB’s Joint Prevention and Treatment Program but stopped short of addressing the broader implications of the suspensions.#mlb #philadelphia_phillies #johan_rojas #jc_romero #rob_thomson
