PHILADELPHIA, PA – AUGUST 29: The Phillies logo at section 108 seat 32 is shown at Citizens Bank Park on August 29, 2017 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. Rain cancelled the game against the Atlanta Braves and is rescheduled as a doubleheader tomorrow. (Photo by Corey Perrine/Getty Images)
Getty Images
The Philadelphia Phillies face some pressure to change things up this winter, but it won’t be so easy.
The team is locked into large contracts with many of its position players, particularly if it brings back Kyle Schwarber and JT Realmuto. So responding to a second straight year of playoff disappointment with a big change won’t be easy.
The one area that might be easiest to address is the outfield, which has fallen short of expectations consistently.
“If they want to revamp the offense, they can and should reshape the outfield,” Todd Zolecki wrote for MLB.com.
The Phillies have tried to develop several young players there in recent years, without anyone meeting the expectations. And now one of those young Phillies outfielders has taken to social media to apologize for an offseason rant.
Johan Rojas, who took a step back with the Phillies in this past season and was ultimately demoted to the minor leagues, voiced his frustration with the quality of the umpires in the Dominican Winter League’s LIDOM, where he has been playing this offseason as a member of the Gigantes del Cibao.
On Wednesday, Rojas criticized perceived favoritism toward his former team, Tigres del Licey.
“In LIDOM, what they have is a mess with those umpires,” Rojas wrote in an Instagram post, according to a translation provided by Phillies Tailgate. “Whoever is going to play against Licey has to beat Licey, the four umpires and the two more umpires who are under review.”
Rojas’ post grabbed some attention online, including from former Phillies star Jean Segura, who echoed his concerns.
But the outfielder quickly apologized for the criticism in an Instagram post on Thursday.
“I take full responsibility for an inappropriate post I shared,” Rojas wrote. “It does not represent my values or my commitment to the sport and the community that supports me. I appreciate your understanding as I work to be better every day.”
Rojas, who has flashed stellar defense but struggled at the plate in his tenure with the Phillies, faces another year of pre-arbitration ahead, so the 25-year-old has time to develop into the regular outfield option that the team hopes he can become. In the meantime, though, some fans are likely hoping that he focuses more on his development during the offseason and less on where the LIDOM umpires’ loyalties might lie.
Source: https://www.forbes.com/sites/peterchawaga/2025/12/04/phillies-outfielder-issues-apology-for-inappropriate-post-i-take-full-responsibility/
