Los Angeles veteran infielder Miguel Rojas told Nation’s Doug McCain that he plans to retire at the end of the 2026 season.
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“It was a pretty cool experience,” Rojas said Thursday night after the won the National League Division Series. “I’ve been here for four years and I’ve given it my all every night, and I’m hoping that I can finish my career here next year because I’m retiring next year.”
Rojas, 36, is in the middle of his second stint with the . He debuted with Los Angeles in 2014 and had some memorable moments, including saving Clayton Kershaw’s no-hitter, before being traded to the Miami Marlins.
Rojas then spent eight years in Miami before the brought him back in a trade. Rojas has now spent the past three seasons in LA and is not only a key leader in the locker room, but also brings a strong bat and above-average glove to the infield when called upon.
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Rojas filled in for Gavin Lux during the 2023 season when he tore his ACL, appearing in 121 games (124 overall) as a shortstop, hitting .236 with a .612 OPS. He then significantly improved his bat in 2024, appearing in 103 games and posting a batting average of .283 and an OPS of .748.
Rojas played in 114 games this year, hitting .262 with a .715 OPS. He also had (and continues to have) a huge influence on Mookie Betts in his transition to shortstop.
“He’s really helped Mookie develop. He’s really sped up the process by being proactive with the nuances of the position and things that might or might not happen,” manager Dave Roberts said of Rojas this week.
“We think of Mookie as a shortstop, and Miggy is a big reason why.”
Rojas is a valuable member of this team and will be a free agent after this season. However, he has made it clear that he wants to play one more season in Los Angeles before ultimately retiring at the end of the 2026 season.
Photo courtesy: Kiyomio-Imagn Images
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