Johan Rojas and Brandon Marsh show their value and help the Phillies defeat the Dodgers as the trade deadline approaches

PHILADELPHIA (CBS) — When a ball is hit into midfield, Johan Rojas expects him to make the play. That’s the only acceptable outcome.

So when Rojas chased a 375-foot ball traveling 96 miles per hour off Kike Hernandez’s bat, he knew the ball would land in his glove. The distance from point A to point B didn’t matter.

“Any batter that hits the ball in my direction, if he wants it to hit, he has to hit it out,” Rojas said, according to Phillies interpreter Diego D’Aniello. “The ball they hit, I catch. (If) it’s not out, it’s in my glove.”

Rojas received a standing ovation from the 44,020 Phillies fans in attendance at Citizens Bank Park after catching Hernandez’s ball to secure a 5-1 victory over the Los Angeles Dodgers on Thursday night.

The catch was part of a big night for Rojas, who also hit an RBI single in the bottom of the sixth inning, raising his season average with runners in scoring position to .294.

Not bad for a player who deported to Lehigh Valley less than a month ago.

“He’s electric. He can do a lot of different things,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said. “He puts pressure on the other team … I wish he would take the same approach every time he at bats and not get too big in certain areas. Make sure you put the ball in play, use the field, crush balls and use your short game. If he does that, he’ll be a big contributor on offense.”

Rojas has shown night after night what he brings to the Phillies’ lineup. The Phillies have a 69-34 record in games Rojas has started since his debut on July 15, 2023 – a winning percentage of .670.

Plays like Rojas’ in center field are one of the reasons the Phillies have the best record in baseball. With Rojas on the roster, the Phillies have an 84-44 record (.656 winning percentage), which is no coincidence.

“I’ve seen him catch it like that a couple of times. He can cover a lot of ground,” Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola said. “He’s a game changer. That could be a double or triple, especially in that part of the stadium. He covers a lot of ground.”

Brandon Marsh had the best seat in the house when Rojas’ heroics were happening. Marsh is in the same position as Rojas, another player who has a future on this team but doesn’t yet know what role he will play a month from now.

Come August, Rojas and Marsh may both be playing center field. Both players are incredibly strong on this Phillies team – Marsh against right-handed pitchers and Rojas with his glove in center field.

“I love defense like that, man,” Marsh said. “I take a lot of pride in my defense myself, and when I see my teammate, my partner ‘Ro,’ do something crazy like that, something special that helps us win a game, I love that. I get excited.”

Marsh also had a big night, hitting a home run and a triple to bolster the bottom third of the lineup. Both hits came against right-handed pitchers, as Marsh now has a .304 batting average with nine home runs and 33 RBIs against right-handed pitchers this season – an OPS of .911.

The Phillies are 29 games over .500 on a season high at 61-32. They have the best winning percentage in baseball (.656) and the best winning percentage against teams currently at .500 or better (.639).

Despite all that the Phillies have accomplished, they have an opportunity to improve as the trade deadline quickly approaches. With Marsh in left field and Rojas in center field, the Phillies are tough to beat.

Marsh and Rojas could split time in center field depending on what the Phillies do. All any player can do at this point is continue to make an impact.

“I’m just grateful for the opportunity to be here,” Rojas said. “That’s why we’re all so good here. We just go out there to win games, catch the ball and make all kinds of plays. Whatever helps the club win.”