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Johan Rojas, Cristian Pache expected to make Opening Day roster for Phillies

Johan Rojas practices bunting on the practice fields at BayCare Ballpark on March 9, 2024. (Grace Del Pizzo/Phillies Nation)

The Philadelphia Phillies plan to carry both Johan Rojas and Cristian Pache on their Opening Day roster, according to Matt Gelb of The Athletic.

It became apparent as the day went on Sunday that Rojas and Pache were both likely to make the Opening Day roster, despite concerns that the two glove-first, right-handed hitting outfielders are a bit redundant on the same roster.

Pache, who is out of minor-league options, seemingly won the battle for the final bench job over Jake Cave. Cave, who was also out of minor-league options, was traded to the Colorado Rockies Sunday morning for cash considerations.

And then after defeating the Toronto Blue Jays 2-0 in their penultimate Grapefruit League game Sunday, the Phillies announced that Kody Clemens had been optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley. That all but clinches that both Rojas and Pache will be with the team to start the season.

Of course, things could change between now and Opening Day Thursday. Two years ago, Mickey Moniak broke his right hand in the final Spring Training game, costing him a chance to be the team’s center fielder to open the season. A year ago, the Phillies acquired Pache in a trade with the Oakland Athletics the night before Opening Day. Without a left-handed hitting option on their bench outside of backup catcher Garrett Stubbs, it stands to reason that the Phillies could monitor what players fail to make other rosters and make a move that pushes Pache off the Opening Day roster before Thursday.

What appears certain is that Rojas will be the Opening Day center fielder Thursday against the Atlanta Braves. This comes despite him going 0-for-2 with a walk and a strikeout Sunday against the Blue Jays. Rojas has followed up a disastrous postseason at the plate a year ago by hitting just .170 in 53 Spring Training at-bats. Granted, Rojas is working through adjustments to his offensive approach, and the Phillies were asking him to bunt once a game in the spring. But it’s fair to wonder if he’ll provide enough offensively to justify being an every day player

for the entirety of the regular season, even if he has a chance to be among the best overall defenders in baseball.

But there’s something to be said for having hitting coach Kevin Long around Rojas — not just during and after games, but from the time he arrives at the park in the early afternoon until 6:40 p.m. start times — every day. That wouldn’t be the case if he was optioned to Triple-A Lehigh Valley.