Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas said he wants to finish his MLB career with the Dodgers. Rojas spent the majority of his career with the Miami Marlins, but he would like to finish his career in Los Angeles and then become a coach with the team.
“I want to retire as a Dodger,” Rojas told Dodgers Nation’s Doug McKain. “The other thing I want to do is stay on as a coach with the team after I retire, so I’m working on that. I don’t know how much longer I can play, but if I’m playing at a high level and I’m healthy and I’m playing shortstop at the highest level, I’m not going to rule myself out of playing baseball. I’m not going to sacrifice myself in any way.”
Rojas has already caught the attention of the organization for his role as a coach among the team’s veteran players, helping Mookie Betts master his craft at shortstop this season and earning praise from manager Dave Roberts and Dodgers infield coach Dino Ebel.
“I’d like to play at least two more years and hopefully, and obviously, I’d like to play for the Dodgers and finish my career here,” Rojas told McCain, “but, you know, I’ve got to continue to develop and continue to prove that I’m valuable to the organization, especially under the high standards that the Dodgers have.”
“But I’m going to maintain that standard, and hopefully stay on as a coach after my career is over, because I want to stay in baseball. And my goal is to be a manager one day, and then we’ll see where my career takes me after I retire from baseball.”
Rojas could become a free agent after the 2024 season if the Dodgers exercise his $1 million buyout clause, or he could sign a one-year extension for $5 million in 2023, per the terms of the extension he signed in February 2023.
Obviously, Rojas wants to re-sign with the Dodgers. He is invaluable to the team. In addition to mentoring Betts, he was a key player for the Dodgers while Betts was out with a broken wrist. Rojas is batting .284/.330/.426 with three homers and 21 RBIs in 64 games this season.
The 35-year-old made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2014 but was traded to the Marlins after that season. He spent seven years with the Marlins before being traded back to the Dodgers in January 2023.
