Miguel Rojas is more than just a veteran, whose stellar play at age 35 was key to the Dodgers achieving the best record in baseball this season. He's an established clubhouse leader, routinely called manager-in-waiting, a player who likes former Dodgers Dave Roberts, and Alex Kora could grow into a respected captain sitting on the top step of the dugout.
Hence his emotional, vulgar response to a fan's Instagram post criticizing him as the reason the Dodgers lost Game 3. Notable was the National League Division Series game against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park.
Reply Rojas, who has since been removed, indicated that he and his teammates are doing everything in their power to win. He then admitted that his poor decision in the second inning may have cost the Dodgers the game. Rojas' copious profanity may have overshadowed the fact that he was actually taking responsibility and standing up for his teammates.
There were no outs in the game and runners on first and third immediately following a ground ball that resulted in first baseman Freddie Freeman hitting runner Manny Machado with a throw. Xander Bogaerts routinely hit Rojas on the ground, and instead of throwing the ball to second baseman Gavin Lux, he tried to touch the second baseman himself before throwing to first. Both runners were safe and scored when David Peralta followed with a double, sparking a six-run rally and a 6-5 Padres victory.
Read more: Plaschke: Move! Desperate, the Dodgers dump the Padres and return to Dodger Stadium for Game 5
The post that sparked Rojas' reaction was a video clip of the play and the following comment: “YES, MACHADO ON THE GRASS WAS WONDERFUL, BUT MIGUEL ROJAS IS A HUGE REASON FOR YESTERDAY.”
Rojas' response (saving our readers the profanity per Times guidelines): “You think you're the only ones who want to win this (nonsense), every player and person in this club is doing everything to… win, it's not because of… the effort we make , our best, if this is not enough for you. I understand that all you want is to win after the final match. No one is lost in this (nonsense), we play to win reason… L.”
“Yes, one…mental error. I wish I could pass the ball and get one out, but… sorry, I tried to do everything possible to get two… outs,” Rojas wrote in his second comment. “Yes, (I screwed up) that decision and you can blame… reason L.”
The Dodgers bounced back in Game 4, winning 8-0, and Roberts said Rojas probably won't start in the deciding Game 5 on Friday night at Dodger Stadium. Rojas suffered an injury because he aggravated the injury to the left adductor muscle while trying to make the play in question, and therefore missed the fourth match.
Read more: Shaikin: The Dodgers want fans to be excited about Game 5. “Bring energy, but do it smartly.”
In a quieter moment, Rojas explained the game and the injury to reporters shortly after the third game.
“On that play at second base, when I was trying to get the ball to the bag myself, I feel like I reached for the bag a little bit with my left foot and that was a bad decision,” Rojas said. “I made a bad decision there regarding the game and my health.
“I made a decision there that hurt me and the team at the time. Unfortunately, now I have to face the consequences.
The episode does not obscure Rojas's contribution. After starting the season as a backup, he took over at shortstop Mookie Betts was injured and made just two errors in 596 innings. He also batted .283 with a .748 on-base plus slugging percentage, the second-highest mark of his 11-year career.
Rojas' contract includes an option for next year worth $5 million. Dodgers will practice. That didn't stop him from wondering what might come next.
“I understand where I'm at in my career right now — I can play for a few more years and then I'll have to do something after baseball,” Rojas told The Times in May. “I'm taking this opportunity to start training a bit with my teammates. This way I can prepare for what is to come.
“I feel like there are a lot of opportunities out there, but my main focus and goal is to make it at the big league level.”
The best, most interesting and weirdest stories of the day from the Los Angeles sports scene and beyond can be found in our newsletter, The Sports Report.
This story originally appeared in the Los Angeles Times.
