Jul 21, 2023
Phillies' Johan Rojas: Shows off glove and legs in debut
Rojas went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut Saturday against the Padres but added a steal and an outfield assist. Rojas' glove and legs are ahead of his bat at this stage of his career, but he was called up
Rojas went 0-for-3 in his MLB debut Saturday against the Padres but added a steal and an outfield assist.
Rojas' glove and legs are ahead of his bat at this stage of his career, but he was called up straight from Double-A Reading nonetheless to fill Cristian Pache's role on the small side of a platoon in center field while Pache battles elbow troubles. Rojas made an impact before his first plate appearance, tracking down a Fernando Tatis Jr. flyball at the wall and doubling off Ha-Seong Kim as he tried to retreat to first base. He didn't do much at the plate, striking out once and hitting a pair of groundouts, but he did manage to steal second in the fifth inning after reaching on a fielder's choice. He'll remain in the lineup for the second half of Saturday's doubleheader, again batting ninth and starting in center.