Los Angeles Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas stepped away from the intensity of baseball’s postseason over the weekend to do something that had nothing to do with the game: he sat for his U.S. citizenship test. Rojas, 37, passed, and said it was one of the most meaningful moments of his life.
“As soon as I made the decision that I wanted to do this, I wanted to do it for my family, for my kids and for the future of them,” Rojas said. “So, I’m really proud of being an American.”
Rojas was born in Venezuela and first came to the United States at age 16 as a prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He has lived and worked in the country, on and off, for more than two decades. He and his wife have raised two children here. Miguel Rojas citizenship test, the decision to formalize that connection clearly carried deep personal weight.
“I’m proud of being working here for over 20 years now,” Rojas said. “I’ve been playing professional baseball now for a long time, and that gave me the opportunity to learn the culture, the country, and I don’t take that for granted.”
Rojas is best remembered by Dodgers fans for one swing last October. He hit a game-tying home run in the ninth inning of the World Series off Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman. Fellow Dodger Will Smith then added a home run of his own, and Los Angeles went on to win it all, the franchise’s second championship during Rojas’ time with the club.
The 13-year big-league veteran announced at the start of this season that it would be his last. So while his playing career is winding down, he’s starting a new chapter as a U.S. citizen.
What do you think about Rojas’ decision to become a citizen? Share your thoughts in the comments below or on social media.
