Originally published by DodgerBlue.com
The Los Angeles Dodgers ended their road trip with a loss to the Toronto Blue Jays and did so with a full roster despite initial expectations that Miguel Rojas would possibly miss the game.
Rojas was a late scratch from the lineup on Tuesday due to what the Dodgers deemed a family matter. Rojas revealed the following morning his father suffered a heart attack and passed away unexpectedly in Venezuela. The veteran infielder nevertheless started at shortstop in the series finale.
The Dodgers chose to pay their respects to Miguel Rojas Sr. by writing his “MR” initials on the side of their caps. While that was the most public show of supporting their teammate and his family, Stephen Nelson revealed the Dodgers additionally held a prayer.
most know that Miguel Rojas started a tradition: when the Dodgers win a series, they celebrate with a shot/toast. Tuesday night, after the win and series clinch, with Miggy back at the team hotel, the Dodgers toasted him and prayed for the Rojas family
https://t.co/k0I7JHZfBd
— Stephen Nelson (@StephenNelson) April 8, 2026
“I’m sure it’s been a tough day for Miggy, and he showed up today, made some really good plays, and you just want to make sure that he’s well supported,” Shohei Ohtani said through interpreter Will Ireton on SportsNet LA.
“Obviously there’s nothing worse than losing a family member like that,” Will Smith said. “He’s going through the emotions, going through the process of recovering and all that, the healing process. We’re here for him.”
The Dodgers for multiple seasons running now have acknowledged series wins as a means of helping break up the long journey each year.
“Miggy Ro brought it over, and I really loved it,” Max Muncy shared in 2023. “He came from a team that hadn’t won a whole lot, and I’ve obviously been here for a long time and we’re used to winning. He brought up the idea of, ‘Hey, you’ve got to celebrate the wins. Winning in this game is really hard and you’ve got to celebrate the wins.’
“You obviously want to act like you’ve been there, done that. But at the same time, winning in this game is really hard, so you want to celebrate. He came up with that idea and it really took off for us. When he brought up the idea, we weren’t playing that great. This was like late May, maybe, kind of right at .500 and not playing real great.
“After we had that idea we kind of took off and started playing really well. That was when we started having a whole lot of fun. You’ve got to celebrate the wins and good things in this game because it’s hard to accomplish them.”
Miguel Rojas wanted to honor father
While speaking with reporters before the game, Rojas said his family would want him to continue playing. The 37-year-old still may take some time away on the bereavement list in the coming days.
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