Miguel Rojas Thought He Would Be Cut By Dodgers Last Year
If you asked Los Angeles Dodgers veteran Miguel Rojas about his status with the club last season, he would have likely told you that he wasn't sure about it. Before he became a World Series hero for Los Angeles, Rojas had some real doubts about his future with the team.
In May of last year, the Dodgers were struggling, and the team started to make some moves along the roster. This included them cutting ties with two longtime veterans, Chris Taylor and Austin Barnes, both of whom had been key pieces to the roster for years.
Rojas, who was in the middle of a slump, believed that he was next in line to be cut. Now back with the team for 2026, Rojas opened up about his thoughts during this period of time.
"There are the things that start creeping into your mind when you're trying to decide if you're still good enough to play baseball at the highest level," Rojas said to Katie Woo of The Athletic. "I didn't want anyone to take that [decision] from me."
The veteran had essentially been placed into a role as the 26th man on the team, and due to his struggles, it wasn't a good combination for success. But Rojas kept grinding, and eventually he got past all the thoughts that were consuming him.
A conversation with Kiké Hernández helped him get there.
"I wanted to change the mentality, because if he didn't, he was going to be on the way out," Hernández said to Woo. "Not because it was going to happen, but because he was going to do that to himself. I basically told him, ‘I've been where you are right now, and it's not a good way to live. If you put a stop to it, and you say the season starts tomorrow and that's the mentality you bring in each and every day, you're going to be much more enjoyable.'"
Sometimes, taking on a lesser role, even at an older age, can be tough for players in this game. But Rojas has handled it well, and he is now thriving with the Dodgers after fully accepting where he is in his MLB career.
"We talk a lot about things getting worse before they get better," Rojas said. "Now I understand. I got to the point where this year is more of I know my role, I know when I'm going to be playing, I know who I'm going to be facing."
Rojas has discussed calling it a career after the 2026 season, and he came back with the idea to help the team go after a three-peat. But now the veteran could push the retirement thought to after 2027 if Los Angeles actually accomplishes the goal of winning three straight titles.
To open this season, Rojas has done very well for the Dodgers in a limited time on the field. Overall, he is hitting .313 with one home run and five runs batted in.
Los Angeles doesn't need Rojas to provide heavy production at the plate, but his impact in the clubhouse can't be overstated. Rojas means a lot to this group, and the Dodgers will likely keep him around for however long he wants to keep playing.
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This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/dodgers/onsi as Miguel Rojas Thought He Would Be Cut By Dodgers Last Year.
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This story was originally published May 2, 2026 at 4:00 PM.