Miguel Rojas’ night in the Dodgers’ NLDS game against the Braves ended with a familiar postseason bat in the dugout and a new concern on the injury front.
The veteran infielder left Tuesday’s game on Oct. 6 with a low back injury after a brief, painful-looking sequence in the eighth inning. Shohei Ohtani had just walked to open the frame when Braves pitcher Brent Suter came after Rojas.
Suter’s first pitch was a ball, and Rojas fouled off the second before grimacing, bending over with his hands on his knees and eventually making his way off the field after a quick visit from an athletic trainer. Tommy Edman came in as a pinch hitter.
Back in the Dodgers’ dugout, a Fox Sports camera showed Rojas pointing to his lower back, just above his belt line. It was a tough turn for a player who has managed to stay off the injured list over the last two seasons and has never been placed on the IL for a back injury in a career that started in 2014.
Rojas went 0-for-3 with a strikeout before exiting. The Dodgers had turned to him for his first start of the NLDS in Game 3, after Edman started Games 1 and 2. That decision lined up with the numbers: Rojas hit .293/.340/.469 against left-handed pitchers in the regular season, making him Dave Roberts’ preferred option against Braves lefty Chris Sale.
Even so, with Atlanta expected to start right-hander Tyler Mahle in Game 4 on Wednesday, Rojas likely wasn’t going to be in the Dodgers’ starting lineup for that one anyway.
The bigger issue is whether the injury is minor enough for him to return later in the series. If he can’t, the Dodgers would have to decide whether to carry a short bench for Game 4 and, if necessary, Game 5 on Friday in Los Angeles.
If the team removes Rojas from the roster because of the injury, he would be ruled out for the NL Championship Series as well, should the Dodgers advance.
That would cost Los Angeles more than just one of its better options against left-handers. It would also take a proven postseason bat out of the lineup mix, and one of Roberts’ most dependable clutch performers.
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Dodgers Face A Sudden Game 3 Booth Absence Fans Will Notice
Joe Davis will be missing from the FOX Sports booth for Game 3 of the NLDS after losing his voice, a noticeable shift for Dodgers fans used to hearing him on the call. Kenny Albert will handle play-by-play for the game, stepping into a spot that has belonged to Davis for years as the voice of Dodgers broadcasts since 2016 and FOXs lead postseason announcer since 2022.
The absence is being treated as day-to-day, so it is not expected to be a long-term issue, but it still leaves a brief interruption in a postseason routine that has become familiar on both the local and national stages. For a Dodgers team deep into October, even a broadcast change stands out, especially when it comes during a series where every detail feels amplified. [Read more 🡒]
Braves May Have Exposed A Costly Dodgers NLDS Problem
Miguel Rojas became another late-game concern for the Dodgers in Game 3 of the NLDS, leaving with low back pain after fouling a pitch in the eighth inning. The club confirmed the injury on its official social media, and the issue came after Rojas had already hurt his back earlier in the game while fielding a ground ball in the fifth inning.
For a Dodgers team trying to keep its October run on track, the timing could hardly be worse. Rojas has been part of the infield stability theyve leaned on, and if the back issue keeps him out any longer, Los Angeles may have to make a postseason roster move before the series moves on. [Read more 🡒]
Juan Soto Just Raised The Stakes For Dodgers Rookie Josue De Paula
Josue De Paula has moved from promising September call-up to a genuine postseason name to know for the Dodgers, earning a spot on the NLDS roster after impressing in 11 games. The top prospect has already shown why the organization is so high on him, bringing offensive upside and the kind of work ethic that tends to travel well once the games tighten in October.
Juan Sotos public praise only adds to the intrigue around De Paula, especially for a Dodgers club always balancing upside with reliability this time of year. The bat has given De Paula a real chance to matter, but his defense in the outfield remains the part of his game under the brightest scrutiny now that every inning carries extra weight. [Read more 🡒]