ATLANTA — Miguel Rojas will be out for the Dodgers in Wednesday night’s NLDS Game 4 at Truist Park, leaving Los Angeles to navigate a potential series-clinching game without its veteran infielder as he deals with lower back pain.
Rojas remains on roster as Dodgers weigh the injury
Manager Dave Roberts said Rojas was still feeling “not great” a day after leaving Game 3 early. The Dodgers are not removing him from the active NLDS roster yet, however, because that decision would prevent him from being added to the club’s roster for the NLCS if Los Angeles moves on.
The club has not established the full severity of Rojas’ condition and will give him more time before making a roster call.
- Rojas will not be available for Game 4 on Wednesday.
- The game is scheduled for 6 p.m. ET and will air on FS1, FOX Deportes and FOX One.
- Los Angeles can clinch a berth in the National League Championship Series with a victory.
- Removing Rojas now would rule him out for the next round.
Roberts said it would not be wise to make a move that could affect Rojas’ eligibility for a possible next series, adding that the club would revisit the situation later.
The back tightened during Game 3
Rojas’ trouble began in the field during the fifth inning of Game 3. He handled a Ronald Acuña Jr. ground ball for the inning’s final out, but his lower back tightened afterward. The discomfort worsened when he fouled off a pitch during his eighth-inning plate appearance.
The Dodgers pulled Rojas at that point. Tommy Edman completed the at-bat and then took over at second base.
After Game 3, Rojas said it was too soon to know how his back would respond. He planned to undergo treatment and assess the injury after waking up the following day, while also noting how meaningful it was simply to be part of the game.
Bench coverage remains intact
The Dodgers carried 14 position players on their NLDS roster, giving Roberts a workable set of infield and bench alternatives despite Rojas’ absence. Edman’s versatility becomes especially important, both in the field and as the club’s only right-side pinch-hit option among the available reserves.
- Tommy Edman gives the Dodgers a switch-hitting utility option.
- Hyeseong Kim is available off the bench.
- Catcher Hunter Feduccia remains a reserve choice.
- Outfielder Josue De Paula is also available.
Without Rojas, the reserve group leans left-handed aside from the switch-hitting Edman. Rojas has gone 1-for-4 this postseason, with his hit a double.
The 36-year-old has been considering retirement after the season, though he has not made a final decision. For now, the Dodgers are leaving the door open for him to return should his back allow it and the club’s October run continue.
