The Philadelphia Phillies need a hero. That hero was not Johan Rojas, at least not in the early innings when Philly had the bases loaded with two outs.
Rojas has been rough all series long, hitting just .093 against Arizona Diamondbacks pitching. So far, he hasn't been the answer, leading to some Phillies fans questioning Rob Thomson's decision to start him in the first place.
If Thomson wanted to make a change, could Braves prospect Cristian Pache be the answer? Pache didn't work out in Atlanta, sure, but he's had some decent moments since he signed with rival Philadelphia. His regular-season slash line is nothing to adore, as he hit just .238/.319/.417. Pache's moderate power doesn't stack up against the likes of Bryce Harper and Kyle Schwarber. Yet, in the postseason, anything can happen. Perhaps Pache is the kind of player who can do some damage.
Phillies fans call on Cristian Pache to replace John Rojas
Pache was part of a trade which sent Matt Olson to the Atlanta Braves. In limited MLB appearances with Atlanta, he proved to be nothing more than a spare bat on the bench and a defensive upgrade. With the Athletics, he struggled with the expectations that came with being the centerpiece of such a huge, league-altering trade. Once the A's let him go, he signed on with the Phillies, and has rewritten his career of sorts.
In many ways it's ironic that Phillies fans believe their season could come down to a former Braves top prospect. Yet, these are the time we live in. Pache would provide a jolt defensively and on the basepaths. If he were to get on base, he's the type of player who would cause some chaos.
As the biggest weakness in the Phillies lineup, Thomson could even pinch hit Rojas and then insert Pache as the baserunner. There were many options, but letting Rojas hit with the bases loaded did not work out in a big spot.
