Bryce Harper was part of the Philadelphia Phillies’ 6-4 home win over the San Francisco Giants — their seventh victory of the season — but the team was missing one of his closest teammates due to a knee injury.
“Brandon Marsh hurt his knee last night on a weird play in center field where the ball took a bad hop on him. He is going to see the doctor and the Phillies are keeping him out of today’s game (April 17th). They will see how his knee is doing after his doctor’s appointment,” NBC Sports’ John Clark reported.
Without Marsh in the outfield, the Phillies are down a player who knows that part of the field well. Marsh had played in 17 games this season but had struggled offensively, scoring just three runs with only four hits and a .095 batting average.
Who’s stepping in for Brandon Marsh?
The Phillies have chosen Dominican outfielder Johan Rojas to fill in while Marsh recovers. Rojas played in 120 games last season, batting .243 with 363 plate appearances. This is his third year with the team since debuting in 2023.
PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA – APRIL 14: Johan Rojas #23 of the Philadelphia Phillies at bat during a game against the San Francisco Giants at Citizens Bank Park on April 14, 2025 in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania. (Photo by Emilee Chinn/Getty Images)
Philadelphia’s options in center field are somewhat limited, and there has been some criticism of the move on social media, especially on X, where some fans voiced concerns that Rojas may not be the best option. However, so far in 2025, he’s batting .250 — a solid number for a young player.
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Marsh could be on his way back soon
Despite it being a knee injury, just 24 hours after the news broke, Marsh was already seen at the stadium working to regain confidence in his knee. He won’t be in the lineup yet, but there’s optimism that he could return soon and rejoin Bryce Harper in the roster.
Phillies still showing promise
Despite losing Marsh for the time being, Harper and the Phillies are still showing they can win without him. While the offense still has room for improvement, it’s early in the season and there’s time for adjustments moving forward.
