Players around the Majors are dealing with injuries as spring training continues. The Philadelphia Phillies have their fair share of banged-up bodies, including outfielder Johan Rojas who's been dealing with a shoulder injury he suffered during the Dominican Winter League.
Although Rojas has participated in the Phillies' spring training slate, his injury has prevented him from playing defensive minutes. Fortunately, the 24-year-old Dominican finally appears to be trending in the right direction based on manager Rob Thomson's latest update.
Phillies Injury News: Johan Rojas On Track for Opening Day
On Monday, Thomson revealed that Rojas' limited spring training participation has been "a precautionary measure," according to CBS Sports. The plan is to use the 5-foot-11 outfielder as a designated hitter for now before introducing throwing into his routine next week.
Thomson added that Rojas' shoulder injury "shouldn't affect" his chances of suiting up on Opening Day. He's one of the Phillies' more promising up-and-coming players, so the fact that his shoulder injury isn't severe is great news.
Having said that, Thomson & Co. would love nothing more than for Rojas to put any issues in the rearview following an underwhelming 2024 performance. He only managed to muster three home runs and 32 RBIs in 120 big league appearances, which is even more disappointing considering how he tallied two HRs and 23 RBIs in 2023 despite playing 61 fewer games.
Additionally, his slash line dropped from .302/.342/.430 to .243/.279/.322 in Year 2.
The "sophomore slump" is a sports phenomenon, leaving time to tell if Rojas can return to form in 2025. His speed and base-running ability are assets to Thomson's lineup plans, meaning Rojas must figure out how to be more consistent so the Phillies can fully capitalize on his talents.
Rojas' increased spring training participation is something worth tracking in the coming days. In the meantime, the Phillies will continue the MLB's exhibition slate tied for the fourth-best 2025 World Series odds (+1100) on FanDuel Sportsbook.
More Philadelphia Phillies News & Rumors:
Odds refresh periodically and are subject to change.