LOS ANGELES — The Dodgers have discovered a means to deal with their infield depth, and it entails a well-known face.
Los Angeles acquired shortstop Miguel Rojas from the Marlins in change for Minor League infielder Jacob Amaya, the membership introduced on Wednesday.
Rojas, who turns 34 on Feb. 24, is coming into the ultimate season of a two-year, $10 million extension, with $5 million owed to him in 2023. In Rojas, the Dodgers get an elite defensive shortstop who’s a two-time Gold Glove finalist — together with final season, when he ranked within the 98th percentile of outs above common, per Statcast — in addition to a revered clubhouse chief.
Beyond that, they’re reuniting with somebody who secured his place in Dodgers historical past as a rookie in 2014. During the seventh inning of Clayton Kershaw’s no-hit bid on June 18, 2014, Rojas made a wonderful choose and throw at third base to hold the trouble intact and permit the ace to end the job.
It’s that glovework for which Rojas was greatest recognized throughout the eight years he spent with the Marlins, after being traded there with Dee Strange-Gordon and Dan Haren for Austin Barnes, Chris Hatcher, Andrew Heaney and Kiké Hernández in December of 2014. Although he’s served as Miami’s major shortstop for a lot of that span, he’s additionally seen time in any respect three different infield positions.
On the offensive facet, Rojas slashed .265/.318/.366 throughout his time with the Marlins, with 2022 seeing him submit profession lows in practically all offensive classes. He spent a lot of the second half of the season enjoying with a proper wrist damage, although, in the end undergoing debridement of his right wrist to remove cartilage in October.
After the Dodgers missed out on the big-name free-agent shortstops available on the market this offseason, it appeared that Gavin Lux would get the vast majority of reps there in 2023. That should be the case, however on the very least Rojas provides them some flexibility. Additionally, Rojas additionally bats right-handed, whereas Lux hits lefty.
Amaya, who’s considered a plus defender at shortstop with spectacular plate self-discipline, is anticipated to make his Major League debut throughout the 2023 season. He was chosen by the Dodgers within the eleventh spherical of the 2017 Draft. Amaya was on the Dodgers’ 40-man roster, so no extra transfer is required for Rojas.
