What Happened to Miguel Rojas After Dodgers Suddenly Pulled Him From the Lineup?
"It’s really hard to understand everything right now,” Miguel Rojas said.
Published April 9 2026, 9:56 a.m. ET
When Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas was pulled from the game, fans were confused. People quickly started asking what happened after the Dodgers removed him from the lineup against the Toronto Blue Jays. The answer turned out to be heartbreaking.
Miguel is a longtime big-league infielder and one of the Dodgers’ most respected veterans. He debuted with the Dodgers on June 6, 2014.
He later spent eight seasons with the Miami Marlins before returning to Los Angeles ahead of the 2023 season. The Dodgers brought him back for 2026 on a one-year, $5.5 million deal after he delivered one of the wildest moments of his career — a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of the 2025 World Series Game 7 against Toronto.
There’s no doubt Miguel is a key piece of the team. That is why fans immediately started asking questions when he suddenly disappeared from the lineup.
What happened to Miguel Rojas?
When Miguel was pulled from the match, fans were initially told he was dealing with a “family matter.” Miguel later revealed that his father, Miguel Rojas Sr., died suddenly on April 7 after suffering a heart attack.
Miguel said he had spoken to his father before Tuesday’s game and even got a photo from him, with his dad saying he was excited to watch. About 40 minutes before the first pitch, a family member called to say his father was being rushed to the hospital. Miguel was then told his father had suffered a heart attack and did not survive.
Meanwhile, Dodgers manager Dave Roberts said the team would support whatever decision Miguel made next. “My assumption is that there’ll be a leave of absence,” Roberts said, per the MLB. Shohei Ohtani also showed support, saying the team wanted to make sure Miguel was supported as he played through an emotional day.
"I'm sure it's been a tough day for Miggy," Shohei said through an interpreter. "He showed up today, made some really good plays. We just want to make sure that he's well-supported."
When will Miguel Rojas return to the Dodgers?
Miguel did not stay away long. One day after losing his father, he asked to return to the lineup. He started at shortstop and hit ninth in the Dodgers’ 4-3 loss to Toronto on April 8. He also made several strong defensive plays and scored a run, while teammates honored his father by writing “MR” on their caps.
“At some point, we are all going to have to go through it. I don’t really want to be a distraction. That’s why I’m here, I’m dressed, and I’m ready to play,” Miguel said upon his return, per the MLB. "It’s going to be emotional, yes, for me. I understand that. But I’ve been through moments like this before with my mom, my grandparents. I know what they want me to do is play baseball."
Miguel said his father lived his baseball dreams through him. He played a major role in his son’s journey in Venezuela. He never got to see his son play in the majors in the United States, but he became a fixture around Tiburones de La Guaira during winter ball.