With a left-hander on the mound for the visiting Oakland Athletics in the series opener on Friday, Philadelphia Phillies outfielders Brandon Marsh and Johan Rojas will start on the bench. Weston Wilson, who was recalled from the minors, will start in left field and bat seventh, while Cristian Pache will draw into the lineup in center field and hit in the nine-hole against A's left-hander Hogan Harris. Marsh is having a solid year offensively with a .272 average (62-for-228) with nine homers, 35 RBI, and 11 stolen bases in 72 games in 2024, but he's hitting just .149 (7-for-47) with no home runs against lefties. Rojas has done little with the bat, slashing .234/.271/.289 with two homers, but he has helped in deeper fantasy leagues with his 17 stolen bases. Rojas' lack of offensive punch is part of the reason the Phils are looking to trade for better center-field bat this summer.

Philadelphia Phillies rookie outfielder Johan Rojas (forearm) left Tuesday's game early against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers in the seventh inning after getting hit in the right forearm with a pitch. Rojas said he is OK, though, so it may just be a day-to-day type of injury. Before leaving the contest, Rojas went 2-for-3 with two singles, an RBI, two runs scored and a strikeout to raise his batting average to .234 on the year. He was replaced by Cristian Pache, who would see more starts in center field for the Phillies if Rojas' injury keeps him out beyond Tuesday. The 23-year-old Rojas is mainly useful for his glove on defense and his speed. He has already been optioned to the minors at one point in 2023. He entered Tuesday's game hitting just .227/.262/.284 with just two home runs and 20 RBI while contributing a career-high 16 steals in his second MLB season.

The Philadelphia Phillies reinstated infielder Kody Clemens (back) from the 10-day injured list and also recalled outfielder Johan Rojas from Triple-A Lehigh Valley on Friday with both first baseman Bryce Harper (hamstring) and outfielder/designated hitter Kyle Schwarber (groin) going on the 10-day IL. Clemens will make the start at first base and bat sixth, while Rojas is in center field and hitting ninth for the Phillies on Friday versus the visiting Miami Marlins and right-hander Kyle Tyler, who is making just his second major-league start. Clemens, who is returning from a bout with back spasms, should start regularly for the Phils at first against right-handed pitchers for however long Harper is out, driving up his value in NL-only leagues. Rojas should also see more action with Schwarber on the IL after going 13-for-34 with Lehigh Valley after his demotion.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas will start in center field and hit ninth in Friday's season opener versus Spencer Strider and the rival Atlanta Braves. Rojas was battling for the starting center field job in spring training and has seemingly won it despite a tough showing at the plate in Grapefruit League action. The 23-year-old hit just .176 without a homer and four stolen bases across 56 spring plate appearances. However, he also hit .302 with two homers and 14 stolen bases alongside a .772 OPS in a 59-game debut in the 2023 season while playing excellent defense in center field. The move pushes Brandon Marsh to left field and veteran Whit Merrifield to the bench to begin the season.

Despite not having a good spring, outfielder Johan Rojas remains the favorite to open the year as the Philadelphia Phillies' starting center fielder, according to team sources. There could be an official verdict later this week, according to manager Rob Thomson. The Phillies will continue to monitor Rojas' Grapefruit League at-bats as he continues to make mechanical changes to his swing. He chased some pitches in four hitless at-bats on Tuesday and is hitting .156/.174/.267 this spring. The Phillies know that Rojas will bat ninth and play an elite defense in center field if he's on the big-league roster, but they want him to chase less and refine his swing. If Rojas isn't the everyday center fielder, the Phillies would be committing to regular playing time for Whit Merrifield as their left fielder, with Brandon Marsh in center. Ideally, the Phils want Merrifield to play two or three times a week.

When asked if outfielder Johan Rojas would be a starter in 2024, Philadelphia Phillies president of baseball operations Dave Dombrowski said, "Likely, yes. Definitively, no... I think he can do enough offensively... and when you add his speed in there and his defense, he becomes a real plus." Rojas became the team's primary center fielder late last season after slashing an impressive .302/.342/.430 in his first 164 big-league games in 2023. The 23-year-old never spent time at Triple-A in the minors, though, and he struggled in the postseason. Dombrowski said late last year that Rojas would have to earn playing time in center field in 2024. Rojas is more of a contact/speed guy whose high average last year was propped up by a lofty .410 BABIP. Playing time isn't guaranteed, and Rojas' bat isn't all that special.

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas is in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Baltimore Orioles. This marks the first time that Rojas has been in the starting lineup since being recalled on July 16. The 22-year-old is 3-for-11 with two RBI and a stolen base since being called up after the All-Star break. Rojas is the Phillies' No. 6 prospect according to MLB Pipeline. The assumption is that he'll get a decent amount of playing time with Cristian Pache (elbow) sidelined. He'll bat ninth and cover center field versus right-hander Dean Kremer on Monday.