LOS ANGELES — Miguel Rojas only looked as if he was celebrating the Lakers’ $10 billion sale to Dodgers owner Mark Walter while wearing purple and gold Nike Kobe 5 Protro shoes during batting practice.
The truth is that the Dodgers infielder has been wearing them during batting practice all season as if the lifelong Lakers fan had been waiting for this day.
“Having the opportunity to know Mark and his company taking over the Lakers and creating this opportunity is good for the city,” a beaming Rojas said Wednesday. “More than anything, it’s just knowing that the Lakers franchise and the Dodgers franchise, you can sum them up on winning.”
Kiké Hernandez, a self-described basketball aficionado, recalled the moment Wednesday when he learned the Dodgers’ owner was adding the Lakers to his portfolio for the largest purchase price in U.S. sports history.
“It was more of a shock like, ‘Holy (expletive)!’ We know you were rich, but you’re that rich, kind of thing,” Hernandez said. “I mean, it’s amazing. Great day for Mark. Great day for the Lakers.”
Knowing first-hand how Walter takes care of Dodgers players and family members has Hernandez excited to see how the Lakers take the next step in the evolution of the franchise, much like the Lakers did when Walter came on board with the Dodgers in 2012. The club has made the playoffs every season since 2013 with two World Series titles in the past five seasons.
“I feel like (the Lakers) are already positioned in a good spot, position-wise with the way that their roster has the ability to be constructed and all,” Hernandez said. “But to have a guy that owns a team now that you know he cares about the players, cares about winning, and is going to go above and beyond to make sure that the players have everything they need to be able to succeed on the court, it’s going to be impactful.”
While Rojas said he would like to see a crossover where Dodgers fans are VIPs at Lakers games and Lakers players are given the royal treatment at Dodger Stadium, Manager Dave Roberts joked that he might be able to watch some Lakers games from courtside seats now.
“I think he does everything he can to provide resources, support,” Roberts said of Walter. “He wants to win. He feels that the fans, the city deserve that. I think that’s never lost. It’s challenging us to always become better and not complacent or stagnant. Continue to stay competitive with the market and the competition to win not only now but for as far as we can see out.”
Hernandez said the added power Walter can wield around town now is unprecedented.
“I think it’s cool to realize that when they are asked ‘Who are your employees?’ they are able to say Shohei Ohtani, LeBron James and Luka Doncic,” Hernandez said.
CHANGE ON THE WAY
The left-handed hitting Michael Conforto was not in the starting lineup against a right-handed pitcher on Wednesday, and it might be more of the same Thursday against the San Diego Padres.
With Conforto in another extended downturn, Andy Pages was moved to left field Wednesday and Hyeseong Kim was given the start in center field.
In 13 games since the start of June, Conforto was batting .150 (6 for 40) with four RBIs. He is batting .168 overall in 65 games during his first season with the Dodgers and has four home runs with 13 RBIs. He hit 20 home runs last season with the San Francisco Giants and had 33 in 2019 with the New York Mets.
Conforto continues to work with the team’s hitting staff and Roberts said he will get with the group to determine if the veteran will play Thursday of get another day for a reset.
“I think probably just not getting to the heater,” Roberts said about the root of Conforto’s struggles. “When you don’t hit the fastball, that lends to a little cheating, chasing spin. And so we got to get him back to the heater, to the big part of the field. But he’s working on it. He knows that; it’s not something he doesn’t know.”
While Conforto is in danger of missing more playing time, Kim has earned an expanded role.
“I think that Hyeseong has earned opportunities, and I don’t want to get him to lose his mojo and sit for four or five, six days and expect good at-bats,” Roberts said. “So I think that he’s earning the opportunity to get somewhat of a consistent look, and we’ll go from there.”
A-OK FOR SHOHEI
After he was hit in the back of the right leg by a pitch on Tuesday night, Shohei Ohtani was back in the leadoff spot on Wednesday. And Roberts confirmed there is no impact to Ohtani’s pitching plans moving forward after he made his Dodgers debut on the mound with one 28-pitch inning on Monday.
So what are those pitching plans? Nothing is being revealed just yet.
“I think it’s just going to be open-ended,” Roberts said. “I don’t think him getting hit yesterday changes that at all. He feels good.”
MAKING HIS WAY
After working on his pitching mechanics with coaches at the Dodgers’ complex in Arizona, right-hander Alexis Diaz was set to make his debut at Triple-A Oklahoma City. Diaz, 28, was acquired in a trade with the Cincinnati Reds on May 29.
There is no timetable for the 2023 All-Star to return to the major leagues, although Roberts said “it’s going to happen at some point in time, I’m just not sure when.”
Diaz had a 12.00 ERA in six appearances for the Reds this season. He had 75 saves the previous three seasons in 190 appearances, including 37 in 2023 when he had a 3.07 ERA.
UP NEXT
Padres (RHP Ryan Bergert, 1-0, 2.33 ERA) at Dodgers (RHP Yoshinobu Yamamoto, 6-5, 2.64 ERA), Thursday, 7:10 p.m., SportsNet LA, 570 AM