The Los Angeles Dodgers had no qualms in letting their 2022 starting shortstop Trea Turner leave in free agency because they had Gavin Lux waiting in the wings, ready take over at the most demanding position on the diamond outside of catcher. However, Lux proceeded to injure his knee following a routine groundball. Now, there is much uncertainty for how the Dodgers will proceeded following this rather unfortunate development. But at the very least, shortstop Miguel Rojas is showing his commitment to the Dodgers cause by making an admirable sacrifice.

Speaking with Chris Rose of the Talkin' Baseball podcast by Jomboy Media, Miguel Rojas revealed how difficult it was for him to pass up on the opportunity to represent his home country, Venezuela, in the World Baseball Classic which begins on March 7.

“Yeah, [it was] really difficult. It's a really tough time for me right now. Representing Venezuela and having the opportunity to be part of that team [is not something I wanted to pass up on]. When I got the call that I made the team, I was really excited. [But] when the injury of Luxy happened a couple days ago, the team [had] to talk to me about my new role with the Dodgers. Now I'm gonna be the everyday shortstop for this organization,” Rojas said.

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Miguel Rojas then revealed that the Dodgers specifically wanted for him to gain plenty of reps in preparation for a bigger role. The Dodgers worried that he may not get too much playing time for Team Venezuela, especially with Gleyber Torres on the roster.

“It's a decision based on getting ready for my year knowing that if I was going to play for Team Venezuela, I was going to be kinda in a backup role, in a utility role,” Rojas added. “The team talked about their concern about me not getting plenty of at-bats to get ready for the season. It was a decision [made based] on what made the most sense for the Dodgers, for Miguel Rojas, and for the future of our year.”

While Rojas should do well by taking this golden opportunity he has with the Dodgers by the scruff of the neck, he still made his disappointment with missing out on the WBC clear.

“To go back to how difficult this is, this is one of the most difficult decisions that I have to make [with] regards [to] my career.”