Dodgers Player Miguel Rojas Reflects on Venezuela Earthquakes

Less than two hours before the Dodgers’ game in Minneapolis, two strong earthquakes struck Venezuela. Shortstop Miguel Rojas’ wife and children were visiting there, along with his sister, who resides in Venezuela. The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 magnitudes, devastated the northern coastal state of La Guaira, resulting in over 770 collapsed buildings and at least 1,450 deaths, as reported by local authorities.

Fortunately, Rojas’ family members were safe. Speaking before the Dodgers’ game against the Padres in San Diego, Rojas expressed his gratitude, saying, “Literally two blocks away from where my family was, two buildings collapsed — the whole building. I’m lucky to have my family still alive and with me. I’m not taking this for granted.”

Rojas’ family was in Caracas, approximately six miles south of the coastal damage. His wife was renewing her passport, while the children were seeking Venezuelan citizenship. His sister was in Los Teques, Rojas’ hometown, about 17 miles from the affected area.

“It’s really tough to see teammates of mine and players that I played with at some point in my career to lose family members, to lose kids,” Rojas remarked, highlighting the emotional toll of the disaster.

Rojas remained in constant communication with his family and expressed hopes of bringing them back to the United States soon. Aftershocks continued to affect Venezuela into Sunday morning.

During the Dodgers and Padres series at Petco Park, both teams honored Venezuela by wearing caps with “VZ” embroidered on the side. “That means a lot, because it brings awareness,” Rojas stated. He appreciated the support from the Dodgers and emphasized the long road to recovery for the people of Venezuela.

The continued efforts to support and raise awareness for Venezuela’s recovery are deeply meaningful to those affected by the tragedy.

Reporter Maddie Lee contributed to this article.