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Phillies Outfielder Will Not Be on NLDS Roster

Originally posted on Last Word On Sports | By Ben Rosen | Last updated Sep 30, 2025 5:40 PM ET

Philadelphia Phillies outfielder Johan Rojas will not be on the club’s NLDS roster, as reported by Matt Gelb of The Athletic. This is due to a quad injury Rojas suffered at the end of the minor league season. With the team likely to carry 12 pitchers in the series, it was widely expected that Rojas would get the extra bench spot. Now that will not be the case. Rojas spent most of the second half in the minor leagues at Triple-A Lehigh Valley after the Phillies acquired Harrison Bader. This move allowed Rojas to get regular playing time, which he was not getting on the major league roster.

Phillies Outfielder Johan Rojas Will Miss NLDS

Two things from workout day:

– Matt Strahm passed a physical that guaranteed his $7.5 million option for 2026

– Johan Rojas is no longer a consideration for NLDS as a speed/defense guy. He needs time to rehab a quad injury

— Matt Gelb (@MattGelb) September 30, 2025

While in the minor leagues, Rojas recorded a .279/.338/.361 line with one home run and 18 RBI in 35 games. Additionally, he had an 88 wRC+ and a .351 BABIP in Triple-A. Rojas showed improvements in his BB/K rate and other offensive numbers in the minors compared to his 2025 major league performance. He had a 0.41 BB/K rate at Triple-A compared to a major league 0.33 BB/K rate this season. He also had a higher HardHit ball rate in Triple-A this season than he did in the major leagues. This is thanks in part to swing adjustments that Rojas made after being sent down.

Series Roster Implications

This opens the door for both Otto Kemp and Weston Wilson to make the Phillies’ NLDS roster. Kemp and Wilson have similar skillsets. That is part of why Rojas was in line to get the extra bench spot. Rojas is a great defender and is a speedy baserunner who could be used to pinch run late in games. Garrett Stubbs or Rafael Lantigua could be options for the final bench spot. However, it is unlikely either gets the role. There is not really a need to carry a third catcher in the case of Stubbs. The limited playing time Stubbs got showed that there was not actually much of a backup catcher competition going on in September. Lantigua has limited defensive versatility but has multiple 20-stolen-base seasons in the minor leagues.

This article first appeared on Last Word On Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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