Potential Dodgers Free Agent Wants to Finish Career in Los Angeles

He re-joined the Dodgers last season.

Rob Schumacher/The Republic / USA TODAY

Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas revealed he wants to finish his MLB career as a Dodger. Rojas spent the majority of his career with the Miami Marlins, but is looking to end his career in Los Angeles and take on a coaching role with the team afterward.

“I would like to retire as a Dodger," Rojas told Dodgers Nation's Doug McKain. "Another thing that I want to do is stay in as a coach with the team after I'm done playing, so that's something that I'm kind of putting together. I don't know how much longer I can play for, and I will never deny myself playing baseball if I'm playing on a high level and I'm healthy and I'm playing in the highest level shortstop. I will never cut myself short."

Rojas has already garnered notice from the organization for taking on a coach-like role as a veteran player for the team. He has helped Mookie Betts learn shortstop this season, and has earned praise from manager Dave Roberts and Dodgers infielder coach Dino Ebel.

"I want to play at least two more years, and hopefully, and obviously, I want to play for the Dodgers and I want to finish my career here," Rojas told McKain. "But you know how it is, you have to continue to improve, and you have to continue to prove that you're valuable for an organization, especially with the high standards that the Dodgers have.

"But I'm planning on keeping myself on that standard and hopefully, after my career is over, I can stay as a coach, because I want to stay in the game. And my goal is to manage one day. And let’s see where my career goes after I’m done playing baseball.”

Rojas can become a free agent after the 2024 season if the Dodgers exercise his $1 million buyout clause. They can also extend him by a year for $5 million under the terms of an extension he signed in Feb. 2023.

Clearly, Rojas would like to re-sign with the Dodgers. He remains invaluable to the team. Along with his tutelage of Betts, he has been a key player for the Dodgers amid Betts missing time due to a fractured hand. Rojas is slashing .284/.330/.426 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 64 games this season.

The 35-year-old made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2014, but was traded after the season to the Marlins. He spent seven years with the Marlins before he was traded back to the Dodgers in Jan. 2023.