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Dodgers veteran Miguel Rojas pulled before first at-bat in final game of 13-year career

Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas concluded his 13-year Major League Baseball career in an abrupt and unexpected manner, retiring after the Dodgers' elimination from the National League Championship Series at the hands of the Milwaukee Brewers. Rojas, who had not announced plans to retire following the 2026 season, was pulled before his first at-bat in the Dodgers' NLCS Game 4 loss—a decisive game that ended the Dodgers' three-peat hopes.

The Brewers completed a historic postseason sweep, becoming the first team in MLB history to sweep a postseason series against the team that swept them the previous year. Rojas, who had intended to transition into a Dodgers development role, left the field with no opportunity to add to his legacy, which includes a career spanning the Reds, Marlins, and Dodgers since signing in 2006.

The Dodgers' season ended in Milwaukee with a 6-2 loss in Game 4 of the NLCS, a game that saw the Brewers overcome a deficit. The Brewers' Jake Bauers led the charge with a two-run, ground-rule double in the fourth inning, cutting the Dodgers' lead in half.

The momentum continued in the fifth, as Sal Frelick drew a one-out walk, stole second base, and set the stage for David Hamilton’s RBI single, further narrowing the gap. The Dodgers' starter, Tyler Glasnow, exited the game in the fifth inning with the Brewers trailing by one run, handing the ball to the Brewers' bullpen, which posted a postseason ERA of 1.74—the lowest among all 12 postseason teams.

The Brewers' historic comeback began with a 2-1 win in Game 1 and a 7-4 victory in Game 2, where Dodgers starter Yoshinobu Yamamoto was knocked out in the bottom of the third inning. By the time Game 3 rolled around, the Brewers had built a commanding 3-0 series lead, a deficit Dodgers manager Dave Roberts acknowledged could theoretically be overcome.

He stated, 'It's certainly possible [to come back from a 3-0 deficit]. I've lived it.' However, the Dodgers fell 6-2 in Game 3, with Bauers delivering another pivotal hit—a go-ahead, two-run home run against Dodgers starter Blake Snell—further solidifying the Brewers' dominance.

Miguel Rojas, batting seventh in the lineup, criticized the Dodgers' lineup as the 'glaring culprit' behind the team's struggles in the series.

The Brewers' victory in Game 4 not only secured their place in the World Series but also ended a 44-year drought without an appearance in the fall classic, a milestone that added emotional weight to the night. Rojas, whose career included a standout performance with the Dodgers, saw his final appearance overshadowed by the team's elimination.

Despite the bittersweet conclusion, Rojas officially announced his retirement following the Dodgers' NLCS loss. The Brewers, now facing the World Series for the first time since 1982, enter the next phase with a statement victory and a bullpen poised to play a decisive role in their postseason push.

Jackson Chourio of the Brewers summed up the team’s mindset with, 'The job's not finished for us. So we have to come with the same mentality.

Which is to win.'

Game 4 of the NLCS was moved up to an 8 p.m. ET start on Thursday night due to inclement weather in Cleveland, adding to the urgency of the moment.

The Brewers' starting pitcher, Shane Drohan, took the mound with the expectation that the bullpen would be critical in securing the sweep. The Dodgers, now out of the postseason, reflect on a season that ended abruptly.

The Brewers, meanwhile, advance to the World Series with a historic statement, their postseason staff’s dominance a key factor in their unprecedented comeback.

This report also draws on coverage from Awful Announcing, Fox Sports, MLB.com.

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