MIAMI, FL - MAY 10: Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas (18) enters the dugout before the ... [+]
It shouldn’t be a surprise that the Philadelphia Phillies are among MLB’s leaders in wins — the team has the fourth-largest payroll in the majors at $245 million and has reached the National League Championship Series in both of the last two seasons.
But they surged to their best record through the first 40 games in franchise history and have enjoyed noteworthy contributions from a range of lesser-known players, including Edmundo Sosa, who has slashed .282/.342/.509 with 22 runs since the team lost franchise shortstop Trea Turner to injury on May 3. Now, with Turner reactivated to the roster without a rehab stint, the Phillies have optioned outfielder Johan Rojas to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.
Rojas has been a weak spot in the Phillies’ potent batting order, slashing just .235/.271/.295 with 31 strikeouts against 43 hits in 183 at bats so far this season. His offense is down from a .302/.342/.430 slash line in 149 at bats last season, marking a discouraging step back. But perhaps most disconcerting for Rojas has been a regression in defense. His .983 fielding percentage in centerfield is down from his .986 figure last season and many of his advanced defensive metrics show a decline as well.
As a result, it shouldn’t be too surprising that Rojas is getting a change of scenery to accommodate Turner’s return. Writing for The Athletic, Matt Gelb reported that the Phillies had been considering the move for some time.
“They have discussed, multiple team sources told The Athletic, a demotion for Johan Rojas,” Gelb wrote. “When the Phillies anointed Rojas as their center fielder after an unproductive spring training, they reserved the right to change their minds.”
Even without Rojas, the Phillies’ outfield faces some significant questions, with Brandon Marsh and Cristian Pache likely splitting centerfield duties, David Dahl and Whit Merrifield set to split left field and Nick Castellanos manning right. Rojas makes for the cleanest demotion, as he has remaining minor league options, but his teammates haven’t been producing much better at the plate.
Pache is slashing .219/.311/.297 with 25 strikeouts and just 14 hits, with a .957 fielding percentage. Dahl has only seen 26 at bats with the big-league club since being promoted earlier this month and has slashed .231/.231/.538. Merrifield has slashed .192/.276/.300 after signing a one-year, $7 million deal this offseason to serve as the team’s primary bench option. Marsh has battled injury this season, but has enjoyed a .337/.411/.748 slash line in 168 healthy at bats.
The outfielder platoon will be under close scrutiny, as the team has clear World Series aspirations and very few weak spots that might be addressed via acquisition before the trade deadline at the end of next month. The uncertainty has raised the possibility of a trade for a power-hitting outfielder, such as Luis Robert Jr. of the Chicago White Sox.
“The Phillies are putting a tremendous amount of trust in players who have not necessarily earned extensive playing time in 2024,” Adam Aaronson noted for PhillyVoice. “These players — particularly Pache, Dahl and Merrifield — will be placed under a microscope for the next month and change as the 2024 MLB trade deadline nears, but so will Phillies President of Baseball Operations Dave Dombrowski, who suddenly appears primed to add an outfielder or two to the bunch at some point between now and then.”
It’s unclear if or when Rojas might earn his way back onto the big-league roster. But a reset in the minor leagues is likely to help both the player and the team in the long run.
