So he picked up his bat, stepped into the batting cage and started hitting. This was not unusual behavior for Rojas. He likes to work and he likes to hit every day in the offseason. But his work this winter carried more weight because the Phillies need him to hit enough in 2024 to maintain their Gold-caliber defense in center field.The
Phillies trust him. They give him every chance to succeed.But they said he had to earn it. To protect themselves, the Phillies signed Whit Merrifield to a one-year, $8 million contract on Friday. If Rojas stumbles, Brandon Marsh could slide to center and Merrifield will see time in left.”I learned the emotional part of the game last year,” Rojas said Friday He enters spring training with confidence thanks to his work this winter. He said he started every day around 8:30 a.m., finished around 3 p.m. He put on 11 to 12 pounds of muscle because
he knew he had to be stronger to make it in the big leagues.He also worked on his offensive wins. In particular, he worked to improve pitch.He looked at her every day. When Rojas pitches this winter, Dominican Academy pitching coordinator Manny Amador often hands his phone to FaceTime Phillies hitting coach Kevin Long so Long can watch the session live.A few months later, Rojas captured Fernando Tatis Jr.There, Rojas worked with current and former major leaguers, including Robinson Canó.”
Cano gave me good advice,” said Rojas. “That’s pretty cool, and I’m going to work on it. He said, ‘Write five things.'” It could be anything, but that’s your goal for the day. Better swing decisions, better sleep, whatever makes you a better player.The Phillies hope that work and a better mindset will lead to continued success as they are excited to have Rojas in center field and Marsh in left field for the entire season. Last season, the Phils were one of three outfields in baseball with two players ranked in the top 20 in above-average velocity:.afternoon at BayCare Ballpark. “You always have energy. But just like in the postseason, you can’t try to do more than you can..
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