LOS ANGELES — Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas left Friday night’s game against the Atlanta Braves after seven innings, feeling something in his hip earlier in the game.
Rojas said he first felt it coming out of the batters box in the second inning, then again in the fifth inning while trying to turn a double play at second base. He described it as more a dead leg feeling, while manager Dave Roberts called it a “hip flexor, quad thing.”
Either way, Rojas and the Dodgers don’t expect him to miss much
time, if at all. Roberts said the plan is for Rojas to start during the series against the San Francisco Giants when left-hander Robbie Ray starts. Ray started Friday night, which lines him up for either Wednesday or Thursday night in Los Angeles. Rojas this season is 10-for-31 with three doubles and a home run against southpaws, though is hitless in his last 12 such at-bats.
Rojas was involved heavily in Friday night’s win. He reached on an error in the fifth inning, and scored the go-ahead run on an elongated headfirst slide at home plate on a single by Shohei Ohtani.
It was also his bobblehead night, with fans at Dodger Stadium receiving a bobblehead commemorating Rojas’s Game 7-tying home run in the ninth inning in Toronto.
The enormity of that moment was evident on Friday, based on the crowd reaction at Dodger Stadium at various moments, including when World Series highlights were shown on screen. About 15 minutes before first pitch, Rojas was running in the outfield and happened to be alone. The cheers serenaded him as Rojas got to center field, stopping to stretch. That’s when the cheers got very loud, with Rojas acknowledged with a wave.
“I can’t really put into words how grateful that I am for this fanbase, and the love that I’ve been receiving these last couple months,” Rojas said. “The whole day was special for me, having my family out there, having friends behind me, getting to see them really excited to get the bobblehead, and get a little bit, kind of like memories about what happened last year. It was pretty cool, and I’m so grateful.”
Aaron Rojas, Miguel’s son, threw out the ceremonial first pitch to his dad before the game.
“He wanted to do it all the way from the mounds,” Rojas said. “It was a really cool moment for him.”
On the mend
Dodgers reliever Ben Casparius has been out since April 13 with right shoulder inflammation. He’s currently on a throwing program at Camelback Ranch in Arizona, with no set timetable yet for his return.
“I don’t know when it is, but he’s on a longer timetable,” Roberts said Friday. “Once he starts facing hitters and goes on a rehab, then it’ll be more of a conversation.”
