Miguel Rojas is more than a veteran shortstop whose elevated play at age 35 was key to the Dodgers posting the best record in baseball this season. He is a recognized clubhouse leader routinely referred to as a manager in waiting, a player who like former Dodgers Dave Roberts and Alex Cora could develop into a respected skipper perched on the top step of the dugout.
That’s why his emotional, profane response to a fan’s Instagram post that criticized him as a reason the Dodgers lost Game 3 of the National League Division Series to the San Diego Padres at Petco Park was notable.
Rojas’ response, which has since been deleted, pointed out that he and his teammates are trying their hardest to win. He went on to acknowledge that his poor decision in the second inning could have cost the Dodgers the game. Rojas’ liberal sprinkling of profanity might have obscured the fact that he, essentially, was taking responsibility and standing up for his teammates.
The play came with no outs and runners on first and third, immediately after a ground ball resulted in first baseman Freddie Freeman pegging runner Manny Machado with a throw. Xander Bogaerts hit a routine grounder to Rojas, who rather than tossing the ball to second baseman Gavin Lux attempted to touch second himself before throwing to first. Both runners were safe and scored when David Peralta followed with a double, triggering a six-run rally in the Padres’ 6-5 win.
The Dodgers proved Wednesday night they have the fire required to silence the energized Padres and force a decisive Game 5 at Dodger Stadium.
The post that prompted Rojas’ answer was a video clip of the play with this comment: “YEAH MACHADO OUT ON THE GRASS WAS WACK, BUT MIGUEL ROJAS IS A HUGE REASON FOR THE L YESTERDAY.â€
Rojas response (sparing our readers the profanity per Times guidelines): “You think you guys are the only ones who want to win this [crap], every single one of the players and ppl in this clubhouse are doing everything to ... win, it’s not bc of the ... effort we doing everything possible if that’s not enough to you guys I understand all you guys want is a victory after the final out. Nobody in this [crap] is lost we playing to win not to be the reason for the ... L.â€
“Yeah one ... mental mistake I wish I would of pass the ball and get one out but my ... sorry a— was trying to do everything possible to get 2 ... outs,†Rojas wrote in his second comment. “Yeah I [screwed] that decision up and you can blame the ... reason of the L.â€
The Dodgers rebounded in Game 4 with an 8-0 victory and Roberts said Rojas probably will not start in the decisive Game 5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Rojas is injured, having aggravated a left adductor muscle injury trying to make the play in question and sat out Game 4.
The Dodgers want their fans to be energetic and vocal, but they don’t want anything like what happened in Game 2 against the Padres at Dodger Stadium.
In a calmer moment, Rojas explained to reporters shortly after Game 3 the play and the injury.
“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,†Rojas said. “I made a bad decision there for the play and for my health.
“I made a decision there that hurt me and hurt the team at the time. Unfortunately, I have to deal with the consequences now.â€
The episode doesn’t obscure Rojas’ contributions. After opening the season as a backup, he took over at shortstop when Mookie Betts was injured and made only two errors in 596 innings. He also batted .283 with an on-base-plus-slugging percentage of .748, the second highest of his 11-year career.
Rojas’ contract includes a $5-million option for next year that he hopes the Dodgers will exercise. That hasn’t kept him from already wondering about what might come next.
“I understand what part of my career I’m in right now — I might be playing for a few more years and then I’m going to have to do something after baseball,†Rojas told The Times in May. “I’m embracing this opportunity to actually start coaching a little bit with my teammates. That way, I can prepare myself for what’s coming next.
“I feel like there’s many possibilities, but my main focus and my main goal is to manage at the big league level.â€
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