Dodgers $5.5M postseason hero officially announces retirement after NLCS loss to Brewers originally appeared on The Sporting News. Add The Sporting News as a Preferred Source by clicking here.
The Los Angeles Dodgers were defeated on Thursday night, ending their quest for a third consecutive World Series championship. However, the Dodgers had expected this to be a special season ever since they defeated the Philadelphia Phillies in last year's playoffs.
Following the series win over the Phillies, Miguel Rojas made a shocking announcement. He revealed that he planned to retire at the conclusion of the 2026 season..
“I'm 36 years old. It's been a wild ride. I've given it everything I've had in my four years here. Hopefully, I can finish my career here. Because I'm going to retire after next year," Rojas told Doug McKain of Dodgers Nation.
As the season progressed, there wasn't much further discussion of the veteran's retirement plans. At one point, he was asked about his future and admitted that the only way he would consider playing another year was if he knew it would be with the Dodgers.
“Miguel Rojas said on the broadcast that he hasn’t ruled out returning for the 2027 season - but has said he won’t really be a free agent since the Dodgers are the only team he’d consider playing for. If they offer a deal, he might be back,” Dodgers analyst Jeff Spiegel wrote.
With Los Angeles losing the NLCS on Thursday night, all eyes were on Rojas and whether he had made a decision about his future. The 2025 World Series hero announced that he had played his last game.
“This is it,” Rojas said. “I don’t even wanna take off my cleats right now.”
Rojas had a remarkable career and made his time in Los Angeles especially memorable by contributing to two World Series championships. He was beloved by the fanbase, manager Dave Roberts, and his teammates.
Rojas played this season on a $5.5 million contract. Now, there is a strong possibility that he could remain with the Dodgers organization in another role. The injury he suffered during the NLDS against the Atlanta Braves may have helped him realize he was ready to walk away, despite continuing to play.
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