The cheers for Miguel Rojas, the player, were suddenly replaced by prayers for Miguel Rojas the son, as a personal tragedy unfolded amidst the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ latest road trip. On April 7, the Dodgers scratched his name off the lineup, and there were many questions.
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With a couple of injuries, Rojas was expected to get a significant gametime to start the season. But Manager Dave Roberts mentioned that Rojas was scratched from the lineup due to family concerns. And on April 8, Rojas confirmed the news.
“With immense sorrow on behalf of the entire Rojas family, I must inform everyone… my father, Miguel Rojas, ‘Micky,’ that he passed away suddenly yesterday afternoon, April 7th… May God receive him in his glory and may he rest in peace,” wrote Rojas.
Reportedly, Miguel Rojas Sr. passed away suddenly from a heart attack in Venezuela while he was on his way to the hospital. The 69-year-old father left his son and the baseball community just hours after talking to his son about watching his game.
“I wanted to play yesterday, but Freddie [Freeman] and Doc took it out of my hands, ’cause they knew it was gonna be difficult to stay in the game and have my head there,” Rojas said Wednesday.
Miguel Rojas had to step in as the regular shortstop when Mookie Betts went on the injured list with a right oblique strain.
This injury also created a huge opportunity for Hyeseong Kim. With Mookie out, the Dodgers had to be quick on their feet. They called Kim up to the big leagues, meaning both he and Rojas were suddenly getting a lot of playing time early in the season.
The Dodgers even listed Rojas as the starting shortstop in the 2nd game of the Blue Jays series.
Miguel Rojas announced on Instagram that his father suddenly passed away. Thoughts and prayers to the Rojas family 🙏
But he was scratched 30 minutes before the game. Rojas stayed back in Toronto for Tuesday night. And even in this tough time, he is back in the Dodgers lineup for the last game, which might be a way to honor his father’s passing.
“I decided to stay and do what my father would like me to do, which is play baseball. He’s got a first-row seat to watch me play here in this special place that brought so many memories to my family,” said Rojas.
LA clubhouse honored his father by wearing caps with the initials of ‘MR’ and ‘Micky.’ Even though they lost the series finale, the gesture said a lot.
Rojas played in the series opener against the Blue Jays, too – a highly anticipated World Series rematch. The Dodgers completely dominated, crushing Toronto 14-2. By the sixth inning, they had already built a massive 9-1 lead. But the actual humiliation came in the ninth inning.
The Dodgers sent Rojas to pitch, the one who crushed their hopes in the 2025 World Series with his defensive plays and the game-tying homer in the 9th inning of Game 7.
Rojas, pitching the ninth inning, got the three outs and gave away one run.
2026 is possibly Rojas’ final season playing baseball, as he has already stated that he plans to retire after this year and get into a coaching role.
But before that, the Dodgers will have to look at the next few weeks, especially with the Mets coming up. Meanwhile, fans are paying their share of tributes to Rojas Sr.
Dodgers fans mourn the passing of Miguel Rojas’s father
Fans wrote “we got you back, bro,” echoing Rojas’ Game 7 homer that saved the Dodgers’ season. They also assured, “take all the time you need.” Fans remember how Rojas had the back of the Dodgers by making that force play at home plate, which extended the Dodgers’ hopes in Game 7.
One comment simply read, “Sorry to hear this,” sharing pain after losing his own father years earlier. He added, “tough blow for me,” connecting his grief with Rojas during this sudden loss.
The message “prayers to you, Miggy, and your family” shows support during this painful moment.
One fan called the news “absolutely brutal” and looked back at Rojas’s heroics in the 2025 World Series. In Game 7, he made a massive defensive play to stop a run from scoring at the plate. Then, he tied the game at 4-4 with a huge home run in the ninth inning. The Dodgers went on to win 5-4. “Glad his father saw him,” the fan added.
A Blue Jays fan admitted, “I hate this man for that home run off Hoffman” moment. He referenced the ninth-inning Game 7 homer that tied the score at 4-4. But with that rivalry, they didn’t forget to mourn the loss. “This sucks,” showed that this loss is way more than the game. The line “losing your father always sucks” reflects pain that even rivals understand deeply.
“Right after he got to pitch an inning,” a Blue Jays fan wrote, recalling April 7. In that 14-2 win, Rojas threw the ninth, allowing 1 run. The fan added, “condolences to the Rojas family.” He closed with “more than a sport, RIP,” as grief overshadowed everything at Rogers Centre.
Miguel Rojas showed numbers matter on the field, but moments like this quietly rewrite priorities. In these tough times, we wish him all the strength. RIP Senior!
