Miguel Rojas is coming back for one last ride in Dodger blue.
The veteran infielder has agreed to a one-year, $5.5 million deal with Los Angeles, setting the stage for his final season before retirement. Rojas, who announced back in October that 2026 would be his swan song, isn’t stepping far from the game - he’s expected to transition straight into a player development role with the Dodgers once his playing days are done. Once the deal is finalized, the Dodgers’ 40-man roster will sit at 38.
This will be Rojas’ fourth straight season in L.A. and his fifth overall with the franchise. He made his big-league debut with the Dodgers back in 2014, then spent eight seasons as a steady presence in Miami after being dealt to the Marlins following his rookie campaign. The Dodgers brought him back ahead of the 2023 season, and since then, he’s carved out a key role as a versatile utility man under manager Dave Roberts.
Over the past two seasons, Rojas has delivered a solid .273/.328/.404 slash line in 654 plate appearances - the kind of production you’ll gladly take from a bench piece who can play all over the infield. He’s still one of the toughest hitters in the league to strike out, and while his days as an everyday shortstop are behind him, he remains a reliable option to back up Mookie Betts at short while also filling in at second and third as needed.
But Rojas’ value goes beyond the numbers. He’s long been viewed as a leader in the clubhouse - both in Miami and Los Angeles - and the Dodgers’ decision to keep him in the organization post-retirement speaks volumes about the respect he commands behind the scenes. That kind of presence matters, especially on a team with championship expectations and a mix of veterans and rising stars.
Of course, if there was ever any doubt about bringing him back, Rojas erased it with one of the most unforgettable swings in franchise history.
In the World Series, Roberts turned to Rojas in the starting lineup for Games 6 and 7. In Game 7, with the Dodgers down by one in the bottom of the ninth and just one out on the board, Rojas stepped in against Jeff Hoffman.
What happened next was the stuff of legends - Rojas, who’s never hit more than 11 homers in a season, launched a game-tying shot to left field. It was as improbable as it was dramatic, and it set the stage for Will Smith’s walk-off homer in extras that clinched the title.
That moment will live forever in Dodgers lore, but it likely didn’t have much impact on the contract itself. Rojas earned $5 million in each of the past two seasons, and this new deal gives him a modest bump.
The Dodgers were already expected to bring him back as a right-handed complement to lefty bats like Max Muncy and Hyeseong Kim. There’s still a chance they re-sign Kiké Hernández for a similar role, though that could create a bit of a logjam for young infielders like prospect Alex Freeland.
Financially, the deal is a drop in the bucket for a team operating at the top of the payroll scale. The Dodgers are projected to carry a $337 million payroll next season, with a competitive balance tax figure around $319 million. As three-time repeat offenders, they’ll pay a 110% tax on any additional spending - meaning Rojas’ deal will cost them an extra $6.05 million in taxes, bringing the total investment to $11.55 million.
That’s a hefty price tag for a utility man on paper, but in the context of a team chasing history, it’s a smart bet. The Dodgers are aiming to become the first team since the Yankees’ late-90s dynasty to win three straight World Series titles. And while Rojas may not be the centerpiece of that pursuit, he’s exactly the kind of steady, experienced, and respected presence you want in the dugout when the games matter most.
For one more season, Miguel Rojas will be right where he belongs - in Dodger blue, doing the little things that help win big games.