Dave Dombrowski shoots down Phillies’ interest in Jordan Montgomery, justifies retaining Johan Rojas

CLEARWATER, Fla. — Fourth starter Taijuan Walker, a disappointment in 2023, is headed to the 15-day injured list to start the 2024 season. He’s unlikely to contribute for the first month of the Phillies’ season. The Phillies are a World Series contender with the fifth-highest luxury-tax payroll in baseball and an owner in John Middleton who is willing to spend big to win big.

So, are they interested in a big-money, free-agent starter like Jordan Montgomery?

“No, I don’t think we are,” Phillies president Dave Dombrowski said.

» READ MORE: Johan Rojas makes the Phillies’ big-league club despite continued struggles at the plate

The Phillies, at about $251 million, already are paying $10 million in luxury taxes. Reigning NL CY Young winner Blake Snell got a two-year, $62 million deal from the Giants last week. The Phils apparently have spent enough.

As such, 31-year-old swingman Spencer Turnbull, whose fastball is suddenly hitting the mid-90s, will be their fifth starter for the short term.

“He’s probably throwing the ball better than we could have anticipated,” Dombrowski said.

The club has starting pitching depth in the minors. Finally, if top pitching prospect Mick Abel continues to shine, he’ll be in the conversation down the road.

“I’m not putting [Abel] in that category yet, but he’s making great progress,” Dombrowski said. “Throwing the ball extremely well.”

More than anything, the Phillies believe Walker will return better than ever.

After signing a four-year, $72 million free-agent deal last year, Walker was inconsistent, battled nagging injuries, and didn’t pitch in the playoffs. But he did go 9-1 with a 2.31 ERA in a 10-start span between June 6 and July 31, and the Phillies are banking on him finding that form again after he recovers from a sore shoulder.

“That’s the guy we’re hoping to find,” Dombrowski said. “We know it’s in there. We just have to get it out.”

In deciding whether light-hitting center fielder Johan Rojas should remain with the big-league team after a poor playoff run and spring training, Dombrowski polled not only his hitting instructors and organizational staff but also other big-league executives he ran into during spring training.

“The majority of people were for keeping him on the club,” Dombrowski said. There was a “very strong sentiment.” Ultimately, Dombrowski agreed.

Rojas skipped triple A last season as an emergency call-up for the injured Cristian Pache. To no one’s surprise, he was the best defensive outfielder in baseball. To everyone’s surprise, he hit .302 in 59 games. To moderate surprise, he went 4-for-43 in the playoffs and was 9-for-53 in spring training.

» READ MORE: Question his bat, but his defense is elite. Johan Rojas breaks down his five favorite catches.

Dombrowski and manager Rob Thomson believe that Rojas is a hard enough worker and is strong enough mentally to overcome his expected continued struggles as the season begins.

Further, Dombrowski said, with $900 million committed to five sluggers in the lineup, the Phillies should produce enough offense to compensate for a bad No. 9 hitter. That, and the presence of the similarly talented Pache, is why they traded veteran bench bat Jake Cave to the Rockies on Sunday.

For their part, Rojas and Pache claimed that they never fretted over making the team. They kept their heads down and worked, so they felt no relief when they learned Sunday evening they’d break camp with the big club.

“I don’t really think about those kinds of things. I can’t control those kinds of things. It doesn’t really matter to me,” Rojas said.

OK.

On the mound: In a 6-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Monday, David Buchanan, who has spent most of his career in Asia, gave up two runs in four innings before the bullpen horses made their dress-rehearsal appearances: Gregory Soto, Jeff Hoffman, José Alvarado (who gave up a homer), and Seranthony Domínguez. Luis Ortiz, a spring-training star, had a clean eighth.

At the plate: Nick Castellanos finished the spring hitting .119. Kyle Schwarber hit .132. Bryce Harper, .179. J.T. Realmuto, .213. Among the $900 million worth of Phillies sluggers, only Trea Turner managed a respectable .283 this spring. Realmuto and Castellanos had two homers apiece, but Harper, Schwarber, and Turner had none.

To be fair, Harper and Schwarber missed time to injury and illness, but the Phils’ big-money bats aren’t exactly hot. At least they’re becoming more functional.

In the spring finale, Realmuto’s two-run homer drove in Schwarber, who led off the game with a single after missing a week with a gastrointestinal problem. This after Bryson Stott, Turner, Harper, and Alec Bohm combined to put two runs on the board in the first inning Sunday against the Blue Jays. Thomson said he places more credence in the last two days’ efforts than the aggregate.

Quotable: Rojas, on his plan for his first full major-league season: “I just want to keep working on what I’m working on right now, and win the World Series.”

Phillers: Like Thomson did on Sunday, Dombrowski on Monday downplayed the importance of offensive bench depth, since the universal adoption of the designated hitter has diminished the role of pinch hitters in baseball. ... Thomson raved about reliever Yunior Marte, who gave up no runs in nine games (10 innings). ... Orion Kerkering, recovering from an illness, and fourth starter Cristopher Sánchez will pitch Wednesday in Clearwater before rejoining the team.

On deck: The Phillies will have a closed workout Wednesday before they open the season at 3:05 p.m. Thursday at Citizens Bank Park (NBC10, WIP-FM 94.1). Braves right-hander Spencer Strider (20-5, 3.86 ERA) will start against Zack Wheeler (13-6. 3.61).