Final score: Phillies 7, Angels 5 ANAHEIM — Sometimes you win games because your best players play well, you make routine plays and you hold on to the comfortable lead those things gave you.
The term “generational” is overused in sports talk. But it increasingly feels applicable when talking about Philadelphia Phillies center fielder Johan Rojas‘ defensive prowess.
They went 6-0 last week against awful teams. It’s a lot of fun to watch. The last two weeks of Phillies baseball have been mostly fun. Most of the hitters are starting to come around and the starting pitching staff looks as good as ever.
The walls were not closing in on Johan Rojas, because eight games is too small a sample and there is no obvious backup plan, but the center-field situation as of April 7 was getting untenable.
It’s no secret that since the start of last postseason, Johan Rojas has struggled mightily at the plate. However, in a Philadelphia Phillies clubhouse loaded with former All-Stars, the work ethic of the 23-year-old continues to impress his teammates.
Phillies fans held their breath as they watched the team stream out of the dugout after Cristian Pache hit a walk-off single to give his team a 2-1 series-opening win against the Colorado Rockies on Monday.
Actually, maybe even more than that It was the debate that raged throughout all cracks and crevices of Phillies fandom. During spring training, the center field position was a battle between two people on the Phillies’ roster, but it never really felt like a battle that was being played out within the walls of the organization.
Rojas and the bottom of the lineup set the table, Bohm wins it in extras Fresh off taking two of three from the fun-but-lowly Nationals, the Phillies ventured into the Gateway City looking to eclipse (heh) those efforts against a Cardinals team intent on rebounding from last year’s nightmare.
They’re 4-5. It’s not the end of the world. There are going to be two changes for year two of this segment. First is the name change. I thought about calling this ‘The Notes’ last year but felt like it sounded too basic.
After winning the Phillies center field job in spring training, Johan Rojas has struggled at the plate. This is not new for the 23-year-old, as he did not play well during the postseason last year.
Johan Rojas started in center field for the Philadelphia Phillies in all three of their games against the Atlanta Braves to open the season, going 0-for-8 with two strikeouts and quite a few balls rolled over on to Orlando Arcia at shortstop.
And on the third day … a Sunday, no less … The first two games of the Phillies’ season were reminiscent of last year — though with six fewer runs allowed, one fewer position player on the mound and a much more costly opponent — but the parallels ended there.
Despite struggling at the plate in the postseason, no one could question Johan Rojas' ability to patrol center field for the Philadelphia Phillies. From the moment he was called up from Double-A Reading, he was virtually flawless in center field.
As a mostly veteran team, the Philadelphia Phillies don't have a ton of young players to watch in Spring Training this year. Most of them are simply going through the motions and trying to get ready for the upcoming season.
It remains to be seen definitively how the Philadelphia Phillies outfield looks for 2024. Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski interviewed with a local Philadelphia radio station on February 7.
When the 2023 season began, Johan Rojas was playing for Double-A Reading. When the postseason concluded, a struggling Rojas finished in a 4-for-43 slump at the plate for the Philadelphia Phillies.
Much of the conversation surrounding the Philadelphia Phillies during the regular season was about their poor defense in the outfield. That was expected with Bryce Harper unable to play right field.
Nick Castellanos became the first player in MLB history to hit two homers in back-to-back postseason games, propelling the Phillies back to the NLCS.
Ronald Acuna Jr. almost turned the series around for the Atlanta Braves. The Philadelphia Phillies' Johan Rojas wouldn't let him.
Braves center fielder Michael Harris II has made some incredible plays this season, and he started another incredible double play vs. the Phillies Thursday night.
There is no try, only do, and the Philadelphia Phillies do need a miracle to return to the 2023 World Series. Despite eclipsing their win total from 2022, Philadelphia finds themselves in a familiar position – playing second fiddle to the Atlanta Braves and firmly supplanted in the opening weekend of the 2023 MLB playoffs.
Johan Rojas singled to center field with one out in the bottom of the 10th inning and the host Philadelphia Phillies clinched a playoff berth for the second consecutive season with a 3-2 win over the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday.
After taking over in center field because of injuries to Cristian Pache and Brandon Marsh, Johan Rojas has proven to be reliable. In 33 games this season, he has a .310/.355/.437 line with a home run and 16 RBI.
Johan Rojas had quite a memorable debut for the Philadelphia Phillies. Rojas was called up from Double-A Reading and contributed an outfield assist, three hits, two RBIs and a number of stellar defensive plays in center field as the Phillies swept a doubleheader from the San Diego Padres on Saturday.
Just barely into his Major League debut on Saturday, Philadelphia Phillies outfield prospect Johan Rojas made a spectacular leaping catch.
The Philadelphia Phillies placed outfielder Cristian Pache on the 10-day injured list Friday with right elbow irritation. The Phillies put infielder/outfielder Josh Harrison (wrist) on the IL earlier this week.
With a new building looming over centerfield, the Reading Fightin Phils faced off against the Hartford Yard Goats in their home opener Tuesday night. A perfect night for baseball, it was 71 degrees at first pitch.
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