The Los Angeles Dodgers cemented their place in history with a thrilling 5-4 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays in Game 7 of the World Series, capturing their second straight championship. But one of the most remarkable storylines of the night belonged to Miguel Rojas, the 36-year-old second baseman whose ninth-inning heroics — and resilience through pain — helped secure the title.
Trailing 4-3 in the top of the ninth, Rojas launched a game-tying home run off Blue Jays closer Jeff Hoffman, becoming the first player in MLB history to hit a game-tying homer in the ninth inning or later of a World Series Game 7, per OptaSTATS.
“All I wanted to do was hit the ball up the middle and get on base for Shohei,” Rojas said afterward. “I think fouling that last fastball off gave me confidence to wait for the ball and he hung me a slider.”
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Rojas’ clutch moment was made even more impressive by the fact he was battling a lingering intercostal injury that he had reaggravated during the Dodgers’ Game 6 celebration. “The fact that Rojas was on the field Saturday was far from a certainty earlier in the day,” reported Jack Harris of the Los Angeles Times, noting that Rojas tweaked the injury during a game-ending double play before being mobbed by teammates.
“Doc was texting me and asking if I could go,” Rojas recalled. “I told him, ‘Hey, let me get to the stadium and hit [to see].’”
Despite the pain — which flared again when he made a crucial defensive play in the ninth — Rojas stayed in the game long enough to deliver one of the biggest swings in Dodgers history.
Roberts on Rojas’ Legacy
“The game honors you, and right there the game honored him,” manager Dave Roberts said postgame. “He does things the right way and he deserved that moment.”
Rojas later reflected on what this title meant: “This is a legacy that is gonna be remembered forever… You guys tell me after, but it’s pretty close to being one of the best teams ever.”
With the win, the Dodgers became the first team since the 1998–2000 Yankees to win back-to-back World Series championships — and Rojas’ moment of courage will be remembered as one of the defining highlights of their dynasty run.
