'game 7 Of The World Series Was Unbelievable': Miguel Rojas On His Unexpected Stardom

PHOENIX — When asked to picture Game 7 of nan World Series and his spot successful it much than 3 months later, seasoned infielder Miguel Rojas did not hesitate pinch his answer.

“Game 7 of nan World Series was unbelievable,” Rojas said astatine his locker wrong nan Dodgers’ clubhouse astatine Camelback Ranch past week. “Because cipher believed that I was capable to deed a location tally successful nan ninth inning pinch 1 out, and successful that spot. No way.”

Rojas worked nan count full, and connected nan seventh transportation of nan at-bat, Blue Jays person Jeff Hoffman near a slider complete nan plate, which Rojas rocketed complete nan near section bullpen, leaving nan 44,000 fans connected manus astatine nan Rogers Centre — and the 51 cardinal viewers watching — wholly stunned.

“That was 1 of nan astir shocking World Series location runs I’ve ever seen,” award-winning shot writer and Fox Sports commentator Tom Verducci said. “Here I was thinking, ‘Well, Ohtani’s connected deck, truthful he doesn’t want to locomotion him.’ Never successful my mind did I ever deliberation that he was going to deed a location run. It was moreover much shocking to maine than nan Rajai Davis location tally disconnected [Aroldis] Chapman successful 2016.”

Davis’ two-run blast successful nan 2016 World Series tied Game 7 astatine 6-6, capping a three-run comeback for nan then-Cleveland Indians. It however, occurred successful nan eighth inning, and came successful a loss, arsenic nan Cubs snapped their 108-year title drought successful other innings that nighttime successful Cleveland.

How does Rojas’ tying homer rank historically? Is it connected par pinch Kirk Gibson’s pinch-hit, walk-off location tally successful Game 1 of nan 1988 World Series?

“I deliberation successful position of crippled leverage, it’s correct up location successful I want to opportunity nan apical 5 [greatest hits successful nan World Series],” Verducci said. “You’re not going to lucifer Gibby’s for nan benignant of cinematic value of it. But, successful position of out-of-the blue, bid connected nan statement — not conscionable crippled connected nan line. Kirk Gibson was Game 1. Freddie Freeman disconnected [Nestor] Cortes [in 2024] was Game 1. This is down to your past mates of outs successful nan World Series by a feline who hadn’t deed a location tally each twelvemonth against a right-handed pitcher — he deed 1 disconnected of a position subordinate right-handed. The daze worth and game-leverage situation, it’s sewage to beryllium apical five; I’m talking astir immoderate deed successful a World Series game.”

Rojas, who turns 37 adjacent week, has not been known for his power. The mediate infielder enters his 13th and last large convention play pinch a full of 57 location runs. As Verducci notes, he deed conscionable 7 past play — six disconnected left-handed pitchers and nan 1 he deed disconnected of a righty came against San Francisco Giants catcher Logan Porter precocious successful a regular play crippled successful which nan Dodgers won, 10-0.

Miguel Rojas celebrates arsenic he rounds nan bases aft he deed a location tally to necktie nan crippled during nan ninth inning of Game 7.

(Robert Gauthier / Los Angeles Times)

Batting ninth, pinch Shohei Ohtani connected deck, Rojas stepped into nan container pinch nan extremity of getting to first base. Hoffman started Rojas disconnected pinch an 86-mph slider disconnected nan plate, getting nan seasoned to chase, putting him down successful nan count, 0-1.

“I mean, my mentality was ever to get connected base,” Rojas said. “I deliberation nan first transportation taught maine a batch astir really nan astatine bat was going to go. I was capable to, benignant of like, regroup and benignant of support myself successful that at-bat and springiness myself an opportunity to get connected base.”

Hoffman proceeded to propulsion nan adjacent 2 pitches retired of nan zone, bringing nan count to 2-1. He past attacked nan onslaught area pinch back-to-back fastballs, some of which Rojas fouled away, into nan stands. An up-and-in slider brought nan count full.

“Then he hung a slider, and I put a bully plaything connected it,” Rojas said. “I knew a onslaught was coming. I didn’t cognize what benignant of onslaught I was gonna see. I was happy to put nan tube connected that ball.”

The remainder is history. The Dodgers would spell connected to triumph successful 11 innings, repeating arsenic World Series champions. What came successful nan contiguous aftermath of confetti and champagne, was not thing Rojas could person ever expected erstwhile he rejoined nan Dodgers via waste and acquisition earlier nan 2023 season.

“It was a small spot much of attention, connected nan media side, fans and each that,” Rojas said. “It feels for illustration it was overwhelming pinch nan off-the-field stuff, because I was walking a batch and each that.”

Little did he know, Rojas had unintentionally launched himself to stardom.

“There were decidedly a mates things that I didn’t person connected my radar, for illustration the Latin Grammys was 1 of them,” Rojas said. “I went and changeable an section of ‘Wheel of Fortune.’ A mates bully things that you don’t moreover cognize that you’re playing this crippled for. But past you sewage nan opportunity to, benignant of like, recreation and sojourn nan world and spell to places that you ne'er expected to go. Really, it was really cool, overwhelming… but I deliberation it’s thing that you don’t person different opportunity to do.”

After enjoying nan thrust of nan unanticipated media tour, Rojas is backmost astatine Dodgers camp, itching to triumph nan last crippled of nan play for nan 3rd twelvemonth successful a statement successful what he has said will beryllium nan final play of his career.

“Ever since I sewage traded, I tin consciousness for illustration stepping into this clubhouse successful outpouring training, nan expectations are nan same,” Rojas said. “And they’re ever making nan squad better. It’s benignant of like, correct now, it feels for illustration you person to win. It’s not like, ‘OK, let’s effort to win. Let’s effort to do our best.’ It’s like, ‘We person to win.’ It feels nan aforesaid arsenic past twelvemonth and nan twelvemonth earlier and nan twelvemonth earlier that. The mentality is ‘win.’”