Miguel Rojas did not enter his 11th season in the Majors expecting to be the everyday Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop, but that is exactly what he became by the end of the year. He was given the opportunity when Mookie Betts suffered a fractured left hand on June 16, but Rojas earned the opportunity to stay there through impressive play.
Rojas had his best offensive season in years while continuing his prowess with the glove at shortstop. Like most of the Dodgers roster, he hobbled to the finish line of the regular season after playing through a torn left adductor muscle for a good part of the second half.
Rojas missed the final series of the regular season after aggravating the injury on Sept. 26, but made the Dodgers’ 26-man roster for the National League Division Series.
He missed the final two games of the NLDS due to an injury that has been reclassified as a sports hernia, and was not a part of the Dodgers’ roster for the NL Championship Series.
Should the Dodgers eliminate the New York Mets and reach the World Series, Rojas is hopeful to be added back onto the playoff roster, per Mike DiGiovanna of the L.A. Times:
“This has always been my dream, to play for a team that is contending for a World Series, and now being this close and not being good enough to be on the [NLCS] roster is very frustrating, especially after the year that I had,” Rojas said before Game 3 against the New York Mets at Citi Field.
“But the team needed someone at shortstop who can move and do the stuff that I’m supposed to do when I’m healthy. … I wanted to be in there, and I know in my heart I could be in there with medication, but I have to understand that this is best for the team, and I’m going to be as good as I can be for the World Series.”
In Rojas’ absence, Tommy Edman has taken over starting duties at shortstop while Kevin Kiermaier took his place on the Dodgers roster.
It is unknown whether or not Rojas could be healthy enough to rejoin the Dodgers for a possible appearance in the World Series. President of baseball operations Andrew Friedman and manager Dave Roberts both have been non-committal when discussing the possibility thus far.
Miguel Rojas postseason career
Rojas’ first taste of October baseball was back in 2014 with the Dodgers in the NLDS against the St. Louis Cardinals. He participated in a limited capacity, playing two innings in the field and only had one at-bat. The Cardinals won the series 3-1.
It took Rojas six years to get back to the postseason with the Miami Marlins in 2020. The Marlins defeated the Chicago Cubs in the Wild Card round before being swept by the Atlanta Braves in the NLDS. Across all five games, Rojas had three hits in 18 at-bats.
Upon being back with the Dodgers in 2023, Rojas got the start in all three games against the Arizona Diamondbacks. He had two hits in six at-bats as the Dodgers were swept in the series.
Rojas had two hits in eight at-bats against the Padres in his only October action thus far.
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