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Amid the Dodgers’ pain, hurt and frustration of their National League Championship Series sweep at the hands of the Brewers on Thursday night, Miguel Rojas added even more emotions to one final postgame clubhouse meeting.
As he had planned –– but not fully committed to –– throughout this season, the 37-year-old veteran told his teammates he was indeed retiring from baseball, making Game 4 of the NLCS the final act in his accomplished 13-year MLB career.
“This is it,” Rojas told reporters afterward. “I’m moving on with the next chapter in my life.”
“The last four years here changed my life,” he added.
Almost as much as Rojas changed the two-time defending champions themselves.
A Venezuelan native who broke into the majors with the Dodgers in 2014, before spending the next eight years of his career as a defensive stalwart with the Marlins, Rojas returned to Los Angeles in a trade ahead of the 2023 season, initially in what was viewed as a marginal addition for a star-studded Dodgers roster trying to climb back to the mountaintop after their 2020 World Series championship.
Right from the start, however, Rojas carved out an important role as a steady, experienced leader.
During his second Dodgers stint, he produced plenty on the field, hitting .260 with 22 home runs, 117 RBIs and versatile infield defense in 446 total games.
He was even more crucial in the postseason, contributing to their 2024 title before saving them in the 2025 Fall Classic with his game-tying home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 against the Blue Jays.
“I’m just proud of being part of this group,” he said. “That we were able to win back-to-back championships.”
Rojas will remain in the Dodgers’ organization moving forward, having agreed to transition into player development after 2026 when he re-signed as a free agent with the club this winter.
“I wanna stay here,” he said. “I wanna wear this uniform or this logo in a different capacity.”
Still, he didn’t want to take off his uniform –– or even his cleats –– on Thursday night, remaining dressed in his full game attire as he spoke to reporters after addressing his teammates.
“It’s really hard to take them off right now,” he said. “It was really emotional after the game.”
Rojas never went to an All-Star Game or hit more than 11 home runs in a season, and somehow was denied Gold Glove recognition.
But to this Dodgers dynasty, he will go down as a core piece and a beloved veteran leader.
“He built a legacy,” first baseman Freddie Freeman said. “We’ll be talking about Miguel Rojas for a long time.”