Miguel Rojas willingly swapped his No. 11 jersey for No. 72, the number he wore as a Los Angeles Dodgers rookie back in 2014, giving up his prized digit to allow 23-year-old Japanese pitching sensation Roki Sasaki to take his place.
“I don’t need anything,” said the 35-year-old infielder. “I have everything I could ever want in life. All I ask of him is to help us bring home another championship.”
And Rojas may be just in the right place. As Spring Training kicks off this Sunday, the Dodgers are on a mission to become the first team in a quarter-century to win back-to-back championships—something no MLB team has accomplished since the New York Yankees’ three-peat from 1998 to 2000.
Fresh off their second title in five years, the Dodgers bolstered their roster with Sasaki, the highly-touted 23-year-old right-hander, and the experienced lefty Blake Snell. Additionally, they’re counting on Shohei Ohtani’s return to the mound this season, as the two-way phenom recovers from elbow surgery.
“Credit to them,” said Toronto pitcher Max Scherzer, who spent time with the Dodgers in 2021. “They’re doing everything right. It’s a well-oiled machine.”
Los Angeles will open their season in Tokyo against the Chicago Cubs with a two-game series starting on March 18. Meanwhile, Chicago’s other team, the White Sox, is looking to recover from a disastrous 121-loss season, the worst in Major League Baseball since 1900.
“I hope our fans understand that our long-term commitment will pay off,” said White Sox general manager Chris Getz. “Our disciplined approach will serve us well in the future.”
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