Following a disastrous 2023 season, the Philadelphia Phillies were considering every option to strengthen their roster in order to capture their first World Series championship since 2008.
Possibly starting Johan Rojas in the minor leagues was one of them.
Since Rojas’s debut last summer drastically altered the Phillies’ outfield defence, Dave Dombrowski’s statement has garnered a lot of attention.
Instead of playing left field, Kyle Schwarber was shifted to designated hitter so that Brandon Marsh could fill it and Rojas could use his speed in centre field.
After being called up, the 23-year-old had 15 defensive runs saved and a defensive bWAR of 1.7, making him one of the finest defenders in the league.
However, he was a liability at the bat during the postseason.
Upon completion, his slash line stood at.093/.114/.163, with just four hits and fifteen strikeouts.
Dombrowski said that Rojas might begin the season in the minors as a result of that performance, even though he finished the regular season with a slash line of.302/.342/.430, 45 hits, two home runs, and 23 RBI.
But Philadelphia doesn’t concentrate on that part of the schedule. They need guys who can perform well in the postseason if they want to win a championship.
But it appears that Dombrowski is coming around to Rojas after making a thought-provoking remark on 94 WIP.
“Probably in the affirmative. Without a doubt, no. I believe the response would be in the affirmative. I’ve had extensive conversations with our hitting personnel regarding his development over the winter; he’s put in a lot of work and made the necessary changes,” he remarked.
The Phillies will be happy with this news.
They will greatly benefit from his defence on the field, and if he can improve upon his regular season hitting, he will be an even more valuable asset.
He definitely belongs in the Major League Baseball.
It appears that Philadelphia has already decided on its Opening Day centre fielder.
