The Los Angeles Dodgers are on the verge of another early postseason exit after falling to the San Diego Padres, 6-5, in Game 3 of the National League Division Series.
The Dodgers were doomed by a disastrous second inning that included multiple defensive miscues and a two-run homer from Fernando Tatis Jr.
The team answered back by scoring four runs in the third inning, which started with a leadoff single from Miguel Rojas.
The veteran shortstop advanced to third base after back-to-back singles by Shohei Ohtani and Mookie Betts loaded the bases. However, he was quickly removed from the game and replaced by Andy Pages.
Rojas revealed that he aggravated his left adductor injury in the bottom of the second when he stepped on second base while attempting to turn a double play.
“On that play at second base when I tried to take it myself to the bag. I feel like I reached a little bit for the bag with my left leg, and it was a bad decision. I made a bad decision there for the play and for my health,” Rojas said after the game.
Rojas initially attempted to stay in the game but came out after he felt pain while running the bases. “I decided to stay, because I know how hard it is to get ready to come in and play defense in the middle of the game like that,” Rojas explained.
“And I decided to take that at-bat in the third to see how the leg was going to feel. When I was running the bases, rounding around second base and rounding around third, it didn’t feel great. We scored a couple runs there and got the game pretty close, so I gave the team the best opportunity to have everybody 100%.”
Rojas said that the pain was overwhelming and would’ve remained in the game if he could manage it. “It’s pretty bad. I wouldn’t come out of the game if it wasn’t bad or not letting me continue to run and play good defense,” Rojas said.
“I made a decision there that hurt me and hurt the team at the time. Unfortunately, I have to deal with the consequences now.”
Miguel Rojas confident Dodgers can win NLDS
With the Dodgers on the brink of elimination, Rojas expressed confidence that the team can win the next two games. “We’re confident that we can come back and win these two games,” he began.
“We’ve done it throughout the whole season. We all know we have the team to do it. We just need to wash it off and be ready to go.”
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