Veteran infielder Miguel Rojas left the Los Angeles Dodgers‘ National League Division Series game against the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday, Oct. 6 with a low back injury.
After Shohei Ohtani walked to start the eighth inning, Atlanta Braves pitcher Brent Suter threw a first-pitch ball to Rojas. The veteran infielder fouled Suter’s second pitch into the stands, then grimaced and leaned over, his hands on his knees. After a quick visit from an athletic trainer, Rojas walked gingerly off the field and was replaced by pinch hitter Tommy Edman.
Rojas, whose home run in the ninth inning of Game 7 of the 2025 World Series sent the game into extra innings, was 0-for-3 Tuesday with a strikeout.
Back in the Dodgers’ dugout, a Fox Sports camera caught Rojas pointing to his lower back, just above his belt line. Rojas has managed to avoid the injured list each of the last two seasons, and he’s never been placed on the IL with a back injury in a career that began in 2014.
Rojas got his first start in the NLDS in Game 3 on Tuesday after Edman started Games 1 and 2. Rojas produced a .293/.340/.469 slash line against left-handed pitchers in the regular season, and was manager Dave Roberts’ choice to start against Braves left-hander Chris Sale.
With Atlanta expected to start right-hander Tyler Mahle in Game 4 on Wednesday, it was unlikely Rojas was going to start the Dodgers’ next game regardless.
The more important question is whether Rojas’ injury is mild enough that he can play again in the series at all. If not, the Dodgers would have to weigh the cost of playing a man short in Game 4 and (if they lose) Game 5 on Friday in Los Angeles.
Removing Rojas from their roster because of an injury would make him automatically ineligible to return for the NL Championship Series, should the Dodgers advance.
More than taking away one of Roberts’ best weapons against left-handers, removing Rojas from their roster would force the Dodgers to play without a clutch postseason performer.