Even among the most ardent of sports fans, followers of Philadelphia’s teams are considered extreme.
Many of us have heard the stories.
Eagles fans throwing snowballs at Santa Claus. Phillies fans hurling batteries at St. Louis Cardinals outfielder J.D. Drew. Flyers fans pouring drinks on St. Louis Blues coach Al Arbour, ultimately spurring police activity that resulted in Arbour allegedly taking a club to the head in “the worst player-fan-police fight in hockey history.”
So it wouldn’t be too far-fetched to think that at some point over the past three seasons, a fan of the Phillies may have openly wondered whether Johan Rojas belonged on a major league field.
That isn’t meant to be a dig specifically at Rojas. There are undoubtedly fans of all teams who would have occasion now and then to suggest that any one of a number of players has no business being out there trying to compete with professional athletes.
It’s just that, very few if any of them have ever actually been physically detained by facility personnel for attempting to return to the playing surface from which they came.
Coors Field Security Blocks Johan Rojas From Re-Entering Field During Pre-Game
In a post to X (formerly Twitter) just before noon on Thursday, Matt Gelb, Phillies beat writer for the Athletic, described that very scene taking place prior to Philadelphia’s afternoon game at Coors Field. Rojas apparently left the field to make a phone call in the stands, and when he tried to re-enter the field, security guards stopped him and would not allow Rojas to rejoin his teammates.
“They did not believe he was a player,” Gelb recounted.
Phillies pitcher Zack Wheeler had to come over and vouch for Rojas before security let him go.
“Rockies forever,” Gelb sarcastically closed out his post.
Yeah, kinda harsh. Obviously, Rojas belonged on the field. Sports fans as a whole aren’t always the most rational creatures, but nobody can say that Rojas hadn’t earned the right to wear the uniform on that day and walk onto the stadium grass.
And even from a cynical standpoint, Rojas hasn’t been so bad that appearance in an MLB game should be questioned. Splitting time in center field with Brandon Marsh, Rojas has slashed .259/.316/.341. Marsh struggled mightily out of the gates this season, but he has gone 14-for-41 (.341) in May, raising his slash line to .217/.305/.301.
Phillies May Seek to Upgrade Outfield to Boost Playoff Hopes
But for a team with significant playoff ambitions, “just OK” may not be good enough. And even with the recent challenges that have struck the Phillies bullpen, some analysts stress that a few outfield spots are of greater concern.
“(U)pgrading the outfield, at either one of the left or center field spots, should be at the top of their shopping list come July,” wrote Ethan Witte of SB Nation’s “The Good Phight” blog.
One potential target for the Phillies could be Baltimore Orioles center fielder Cedric Mullins.
Kerry Miller of Bleacher Report recently examined who might be “the most likely player to be traded” for all 30 teams, and he stated that Cedric Mullins is “arguably the cream of the crop” for a Baltimore team that has been among the bigger disappointments in the 2025 season. The 30-year-old Mullins was an All-Star in 2021, when he reached the 30/30 plateau, and despite not matching that output since, he does play a premium position and could draw significant interest.
“Center fielders worth a darn tend to be few and far between on the summer trade block, and there are always a few contenders who could use one,” Miller wrote.
For the Phillies, Miller tabbed Single-A outfielder Dante Noevi, the team’s No. 6 prospect and first-round pick (27th) overall from the 2024 draft, as their player to be traded. Some analysts also feel that starting pitcher Mick Abel, Philadelphia’s No. 8 prospect, could be a significant trade chip after recently outdueling Paul Skenes in his MLB debut.
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