Johan Rojas wanted in on a World Series. A year later, he delivered to send the Phillies back to the playoffs.
“Next year, I want that,” Rojas said to himself watching the Phillies’ run in 2022. Now he’s a part of the fun after delivering for an “unbelievable” moment.
Phillies rookie Johan Rojas celebrates his walk-off hit against the Pirates in the 10th inning to clinch a wild-card berth on Tuesday.Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
A few hours before Tuesday’s game, Johan Rojas was in the Phillies’ batting cage with Bryce Harper, observing his routine. Harper gave him a piece of advice.
He told Rojas to stay inside the baseball. Rojas listened. In the bottom of the 10th inning, with one out and ghost runner Cristian Pache standing on second, he stepped up to the plate. He took a fastball for a strike, he lunged at a curveball far out of the zone, and then, he thought of Harper’s words.
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Rojas took his next pitch for a ball, and on his fourth and final pitch, he connected with a four-seam fastball, hitting it up the middle for a game-winning, postseason-clinching RBI single to beat the Pirates, 3-2.
Harper found him on the field amid the celebration a few moments later.
“He said, ‘It was just like we talked about,’ ” Rojas said. “‘Just like we talked about.’ ”
Last October, when Rojas was playing in the Arizona Fall League, he watched the Phillies’ playoff run on his laptop from his apartment. When he came home to the Dominican Republic, he made sure to not miss a single World Series game. It made an impression.
“I said to myself, ‘Next year, I want that,’ ” Rojas said.
Starting pitcher Aaron Nola throws a pitch in the first inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies second baseman Bryson Stott gets the out against Pittsburgh Pirates Henry Davis in a sixth inning double play against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies designated hitter Bryce Harper hits a sacrifice fly ball in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Brandon Marsh celebrates a solo home run with Kyle Schwarber in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Bryce Harper makes an out on Pittsburgh Pirates Bryan Reynolds ground ball in the first inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Brandon Marsh hits a solo home run in the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Philadelphia Phillies Kyle Schwarber hits a fielders choice base hit against the Pittsburgh Pirates in the sixth inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Pittsburgh Pirates left fielder Bryan Reynolds rounds the bases after Philadelphia Phillies starting pitcher Aaron Nola gives up a solo home run in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Starting pitcher Aaron Nola tips his hat after coming out of the game in the seventh inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia on Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Johan Rojas celebrates his walk off hit against the Pirates during the 10th inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Phillies clinch a wild card spot.Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Johan Rojas celebrates his walk off hit against the Pirates during the 10th inning clinching a wildcard spot, Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Bryce Harper right celebrates with Trea Turner left after beating the Pirates to clinch a wildcard spot at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies owner John Middleton center celebrates his team clinching a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies clinch a wild card spot after beating the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Clinched a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Kyle Schwarber left and J.T. Realmuto celebrate clinching a wild card spot in the playoff after beating the Pirates at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies fans celebrate their team clinching a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies clubhouse is a wash in beer and Champagne after clinching a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Kyle Schwarber sprays beer on teammates after his team clinched a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies catcher Garrett Stubbs sprays Champagne on teammates after his team cliched a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies owner John Middleton wipes his face while celebrating his team after they clinched a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Brandon Marsh left gets hit with beer while celebrating clinching their wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies Jake Cave, left Jeff Hoffman center and Brandon Marsh take a selfie in the clubhouse after clinching a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates in 10 inning at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
Phillies pitcher Aaron Nola gets a beer bath while talking to the media in the clubhouse after his team clinched a wild card playoff spot after beating the Pirates 3-2 in 10 innings at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia, Tuesday, Sept. 26, 2023Read moreSteven M. Falk / Staff Photographer
In 2023, he doesn’t just have it, he is contributing to it. He is at the epicenter of it. On Tuesday night, he was the victor, the one who made sure his team would be playing meaningful baseball past Oct. 1. And as he stood in the middle of the Phillies’ clubhouse, getting doused in beer by his teammates, Rojas had just one word to describe the moment.
“Unbelievable,” he said.
He was not the only one who felt that way. The celebration featured players young and old, superstars who signed multimillion-dollar contracts, and pitchers who signed minor league deals. Rookies at the start of their Phillies careers, and veterans who could be nearing the end of them.
Twenty-two-year-old reliever Orion Kerkering danced to a remix of Cher’s “Believe” with 30-year-old Garrett Stubbs and Kyle Schwarber, and just a few feet away, Aaron Nola took in the entire scene. The right-handed starter is eligible to hit free agency this winter for the first time in his nine-year career. There’s no guarantee that he will be back with the Phillies. He was drafted at age 21 and this is the only organization he has ever known.
So he is trying to soak in the moments. Sometimes that means literally soaking in them — feeling every drop of the beer that’s being doused on your head — but it always means not taking anything for granted.
Nola had another dominant performance on Tuesday, tossing 6⅔ innings of one-run ball, with eight strikeouts, and as he walked off the field, he got a standing ovation. He normally nods to the crowd, but on this night, in what could’ve been his final regular-season start for the Phillies, he decided to tip his cap.
“I’m trying to embrace every moment,” he said. “Especially right now. The fans have got our backs. I could hear them all night. We could all hear them all night.”
Nola hung in the dugout for the rest of the game. He watched reliever Jeff Hoffman, who was released by the Twins on March 28 and signed a minor-league deal with the Phillies on March 30, pitch a scoreless 10th to keep the score tied at 2.
When Hoffman struck out Henry Davis to end the inning, Nola pumped his fist. He was no longer in line for the win, but he was just as excited for his teammate.
“It was awesome,” Nola said. “That’s probably one of the hardest situations for a bullpen guy to come into, and he does it. There were big emotions in that moment.”
And there will be more emotions, for Nola, for Kerkering, for Rojas, for Hoffman, and more. In the postseason, anyone can be the hero.