by Cary Osborne
If one game were indicative of Miguel Rojas this season, it was Sept. 16 in Atlanta.
Down the lineup behind five All-Stars, the veteran shortstop was a sparkplug in the Dodgers’ 9–0 win.
The 35-year-old infielder played his typical sparkling defense, but the little things on the other side stood out.
After earning a walk in the third inning, Rojas stole third base during a Freddie Freeman at-bat. Then, he capitalized on a wild pitch by Braves starter Max Fried and scored the Dodgers’ first run.
In the fifth, Rojas lined a single to right field to drive in Tommy Edman. He scored later in the frame on a groundout from Shohei Ohtani.
Rojas then jumpstarted the six-run seventh inning with a walk.
His baserunning played a part once again when he beat the throw to home plate on a fielder’s choice.
“Tonight, he won us a ball game,” said manager Dave Roberts. “Whether it’s his two-strike approach against Fried or the baserunning … that’s just how much he cares and how much he loves to play the game of baseball.”
But it’s just one game. It’s been a season of exceptional contributions, which has led Rojas to being named the Dodgers’ 2024 Roy Campanella Award winner.
He is the winner of the 19th annual award, voted on by Dodger uniformed personnel to honor the player who best exemplifies the spirit and leadership of the late Hall of Fame catcher.
“He brings grit, he brings fight,” Roberts said in Atlanta. “He really exemplifies what I expect of a ball player.”
Rafael Furcal received the inaugural Roy Campanella Award in 2006 and since then the honor has been awarded to Russell Martin (2007), James Loney (2008), Juan Pierre (2009), Jamey Carroll (2010), Matt Kemp (2011), A.J. Ellis (2012), Clayton Kershaw (2013–14), Zack Greinke (2015), Chase Utley (2016, 2018), Justin Turner (2017, 2019–20), Chris Taylor (2021), Freddie Freeman (2022) and Jason Heyward (2023).
Rojas, for the second consecutive season, was not expected to be a regular in the Dodger lineup. Last season, Gavin Lux’s season-ending knee injury paved the way for Rojas to be the Dodgers’ starting shortstop. This season, Rojas’ consistent and impactful bat moved him into the everyday lineup and allowed the Dodgers to move Mookie Betts — who was the Dodger starting shortstop in the first half — to right field.
Rojas has done big things — he was among the National League leaders in defensive runs saved at shortstop (again) and turned in arguably the best offensive season in his career. At one point this year in late June, the Dodgers were 24–0 when Rojas recorded a hit in the game.
He’s also done the little things — mentoring Betts in his early-season transition to the infield, counseling younger players and being a coach on the field.
“I am a true believer that if you make the ones next to you better, your job is going to be easier. And for me it’s my job to make Doc’s job easier,” Rojas said in Spring Training of his manager.
Miguel Rojas is 2024 Roy Campanella Award winner was originally published in Dodger Insider on Medium, where people are continuing the conversation by highlighting and responding to this story.