Dodgers sign infielder Miguel Rojas to contract extension

The Dodgers and infielder Miguel Rojas have agreed to a contract extension that will keep Rojas in Los Angeles through at least the 2024 season, according to Daniel Alvarez-Montes of El Extrabase (Twitter link and link to the Spanish-langugage full story). 

Rojas was already set to earn $5M in 2023, but this new deal reworks that money into a $3.5M salary and a $1.5M signing bonus. 

Rojas will then earn another $5M in 2024, and the Dodgers hold a $5M club option on Rojas for 2025, with a $1M buyout.

All told, it adds up to another $6M in guaranteed money for the Beverly Hills Sports Council client. Rojas had previously been playing on a two-year, $10M deal signed when he was a member of the Marlins, and that extension covered the 2022 and 2023 seasons.

Breaking into the majors with the Dodgers in 2014, Rojas was dealt to the Marlins during the 2014-15 offseason and then established himself as a leader on and off the field in Miami. 

Rojas moved from a utility role to regular duty as the Marlins’ shortstop, and his consistently strong defense provided value to club even if his offense was generally below average. 

Rojas had a 91 wRC+ from 2015-21, but he dropped to a 73 wRC+ in 2022 on the heels of a .236/.283/.323 slash line over 507 plate appearances.

Wrist problems may have contributed to Rojas’ underwhelming season, as he underwent surgery on his wrist back in October. 

Reports circulated last month that Rojas was also going to undergo another procedure, and the infielder told reporters (including the Orange County Register’s Bill Plunkett) Saturday that he had a loose piece of bone removed from his right hand three weeks ago. 

The surgeries won’t appear to have set Rojas back, as he is already hitting off a tee and has expressed interest in playing for his native Venezuela in the World Baseball Classic if healthy.

Despite the injuries and the 2022 numbers, the Dodgers still traded for Rojas in January, as L.A. dealt Jacob Amaya (a strong-fielding prospect with some questions about his bat) to Miami in the straight-up swap. 

With Trea Turner now a Phillie and Gavin Lux slated to take over as the everyday shortstop, adding Rojas gives the Dodgers a capable veteran who can perhaps fill in at short if Lux has any trouble adjusting, and otherwise serve as depth around the infield.

The extension is a nice early birthday present for Rojas (who turns 34 later this month) and it also underscores the Dodgers’ belief that the veteran can be a key contributor to the roster. 

Shorter-term extensions have been a favored tactic for president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman as of late, as Los Angeles also inked such players as Max Muncy, Blake Treinen, Daniel Hudson, and Austin Barnes to deals that give the Dodgers up to two years of extra control. 

In the first three of those instances, the Dodgers made an early guarantee on a 2023 club option, and added another club option year to the back end of the contract.

Rojas’ deal is a little different since he was already under contract for 2023. From a luxury tax perspective, the extension slightly raises Rojas’ tax number from $5M to $5.5M, which is the new average annual value of what is technically a two-year deal (since his 2023 salary was reworked) for accounting purposes. 

While Los Angeles had soared over the Competitive Balance Tax threshold in each of the last two seasons, there was some thought that the club might look to duck under the line and reset its tax penalty status, with an eye towards going back into CBT territory next winter. 

But, with the Dodgers now projected to be slightly over the $233M threshold, Friedman said this week that the Dodgers were “doing all we can to win a championship this year,” rather than keep an eye on the tax bill by trading players.