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Miguel Rojas is passing the torch to Roki Sasaki by surrendering the No. 11 jersey to the rookie.
Rojas, who re-joined the Los Angeles Dodgers through a trade in 2023, donned No. 11 for the past two seasons. The shortstop wanted to honor the iconic Dodgers players, like All-Star outfielder Manny Mota, who wore the number before him.
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Although Rojas’ number selection had meaning, the 11-season MLB veteran had no hesitation in passing the number down to Sasaki.
“I’ve always said I want my teammates and the people around me to feel good. So if I said that, it’s my time to deliver,” Rojas said. “So when they asked me (to give up No. 11), it was a no-brainer.”
“I wasn’t attached to the number because I already did in baseball what I wanted to do with that number,” Rojas added “I told Roki this morning. It’s your turn to take this number really far.”
This is not the first time a player has passed down a number to a new teammate. Last season, relief pitcher Joe Kelly gave two-way player Shohei Ohtani No. 17. In return, Ohtani gifted a Porsche to Kelly’s wife.
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Like Ohtani, Sasaki showed his appreciation for Rojas with a gift. The right-handed starting pitcher gave Rojas three bottles of Dassai sake and a set of serving glasses, highlighting Sasaki’s Japanese culture.
Sasaki wears No. 11 to honor five-time All-Star Yu Darvish, who has worn the number for most of his MLB career. The pair were teammates on Team Japan at the 2023 World Baseball Classic.
Three MLB teams were reportedly finalists for the highly sought-after international free agent. The San Diego Padres were in the mix but Sasaki ultimately signed with the Dodgers. Despite Sasaki’s decision, the 23-year-old still holds immense respect for Darvish.
Rojas will wear No. 72 in 2025, which was the number he wore in his rookie season with the Dodgers in 2014. Although the assigned number lacked significance to Rojas then, he now associates it with the start of his MLB career.
Photo Credit: Brett Davis-Imagn Images
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