Miguel Rojas Challenged Dodgers To Start Postseason ‘Sprint’

Edwin Díaz blew another save opportunity on Saturday night but the Los Angeles Dodgers ultimately snapped their seven-game losing streak with a win over the Arizona Diamondbacks in extra innings.

It came without Miguel Rojas appearing in the game, but he nevertheless may have played a small hand in the Dodgers ending their season-worst losing streak. Rojas revealed to David Vassegh on AM 570 L.A. Sports that he sent a text message in the Dodgers’ group thread after their walk-off loss in the series opener at Chase Field.

Miguel Rojas’ message to Dodgers: ‘sprint’

The seven-game skid was the Dodgers’ longest losing streak since they dropped seven in a row from July 4-11, 2025.

“This journey is what’s going to make it even more special,” Rojas told Vassegh. “If everything goes smooth for us and we just win the division with nothing else to kind of prove during the regular season, it wouldn’t be as exciting to get to that point, to get to that destination.

“I’m a 110% believer this club has what it takes to overcome situations and moments like this. We’re playing against really good teams over the past couple weeks, and one of the hottest teams in baseball. That’s not an excuse. We need to continue to find ways to win baseball games, but I feel like this is kind of our moment to sit back and think of this as a moment to prepare us for what is coming.

“We’re not always going to have all the luck, not everything is going to go our way. So we’ve got to be able to come out of these moments too and find ways to win games like we did last year. We were against the wall, and that’s a good thing. This team, it’s not the first time we’ve been in this situation. We’ve got to find a way to get out of it.

“As of now in the clubhouse, everybody is confident. We just need to continue to go one pitch at a time from now on. That’s really hard to do because you have to do it for 162 games plus the playoffs. It’s a little bit easier to do it when the playoffs start, because you know it’s a sprint.

“But, I challenged the guys, I sent a quick message to the group [Friday] night, to start our sprint right now. Why not start when there’s 44 games left? So we prepare for what is coming. I feel like if we put that little intensity on every pitch and forget about the past and forget about what the future looks like, I think we’re going to be in the moment more and give everything that we have in that moment.

“I think it’s important to remember those little things. When you go in the middle of the summer and you’re approaching the end of the season and you kind of want to get it over with so you can go to October. But no one is going to give you anything for free. We’re going to have to earn it, and this is our time to start our sprint.”

The Dodgers remain in strong position to again win the National League West, but their recent slide has resulted in falling behind the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves in the standings. As a result, the Dodgers are looking at the prospect of not having a first-round bye in the postseason for a second consecutive year.

Rojas wins prestigious award

Further indication of his standing as a clubhouse leader, Rojas was voted the Dodgers’ winner of the 2026 Heart & Hustle Award, which is presented annually by the Major League Baseball Players Alumni Association (MLBPAA) to one player on each team who “best embodies the values, spirits and traditions of baseball,” along with factoring in on-field performance.

It’s the third time in Rojas’ career he’s been a team winner of the Heart and Hustle Award since its inception in 2005. Rojas previously was a team winner with the Miami Marlins in 2019 and 2021.