Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas addressed the media on June 15, 2026, discussing his go-ahead home run and the changes he has made to his approach as a pinch hitter.
Rojas explained that his pinch-hitting philosophy has shifted toward aggression. "In the past I was thinking, oh, let's put a good at-bat together, you know, like don't get out on the first pitch — and then sometimes the first pitch was the best pitch to hit," he said during the press conference. He added that he now focuses on identifying a specific zone where he can do damage and simply takes the pitch if it is not there, rather than trying to manufacture contact or draw a walk.
Rojas credited conversations with Jason Heyward, who was with the team in Chicago, as a key influence on his approach. He also noted that he drew on advice from an unnamed pinch-hitting specialist he played alongside in Venezuelan winter ball. Rojas also consulted with Chaseley, a Dodgers organizational player, about the bench role. Rojas acknowledged he had never been a particularly strong pinch hitter before taking on the role more heavily, and noted that over the last three or four years he figured out his effectiveness against pitching, with his numbers reflecting that improvement.
On the mental side of the role, Rojas described a challenge he is still working through. "You have to be okay with making a one-pitch out in that situation and being okay to go home — that's something that I have never been okay with," he acknowledged. He noted the Dodgers organization has made the transition easier by being transparent about player expectations, which he said helps him prepare and embrace the bench role.
Rojas also mentioned a shin bone bruise that limited his ability to put weight on the leg during the Chicago series, though he noted it is improving after taping. He described his defined role with the club as playing against pitchers, coming off the bench for lefty matchups, and occasionally appearing when the team holds a large lead.