Sports
Miguel Rojas is shining at shortstop. Will Dodgers keep him there when Mookie Betts returns?
It has been only two weeks since Miguel Rojas replaced the injured Mookie Betts as the Dodgers’ starting shortstop, more than enough time for the 35-year-old veteran to alter the makeup of the team’s infield come playoff time.
The slick-fielding Rojas has reminded the Dodgers just how important it is to have a reliable defender at shortstop in October, one who won’t make the team’s front office, manager, coaches, players and fans squirm when the ball is hit to him.
Rojas, who has not committed an error in 215⅔ innings at shortstop this season, is clearly that guy. He has excellent range to his left and right, soft, sure hands, a strong and accurate throwing arm, and he’s adept at starting and turning double plays.
Rojas is athletic enough to make plays from a variety of body positions and arm angles. His internal clock, which helps infielders know how much time they have to make a throw based on a runner’s speed, is as finely tuned as a Swiss watch.
“For me,” Dodgers third-base coach Dino Ebel said, “he’s one of the top five defensive shortstops in baseball.”
Betts, for all his athleticism and his willingness and ability to move from right field to second base last winter and from second base to shortstop — a position he hadn’t played regularly since high school — this spring, is not.
He could be eventually, but the dynamic leadoff man is expected to be out six to eight weeks after suffering a left-hand fracture when he was hit by a 98-mph fastball on June 16, a lengthy absence that will stunt his growth at his new position.
And Betts, a six-time Gold Glove Award-winner in right field, wasn’t in Gold Glove contention when he got hurt — he had nine errors in 531 ⅓ innings at shortstop this season, eight of them throwing and one fielding.
All of which raises the question: If Rojas keeps hitting the way he has this season, one of his best with the bat in 11 years in the big leagues, would Dodgers manager Dave Roberts consider leaving him at shortstop when Betts returns and moving Betts to second base, where Gavin Lux hasn’t exactly been tearing it up offensively?
“I would, I would,” Roberts said. “I don’t think anyone can debate the level of shortstop play from Miguel Rojas. Some of it is contingent on the timeline for Mookie’s return and where Miggy is physically and how things are going. But to your question, would I consider it? Absolutely.”
Miguel Rojas celebrates after hitting a double against the Cincinnati Reds on May 18.
(Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“He’s having a heck of a year offensively and defensively, and I love the edge, the energy, he brings every night.”
— Dave Roberts, Dodgers manager, on Miguel Rojas
For Rojas to remain the starting shortstop all summer and into the fall, he has to stay healthy, which is why he’s spending more time with his legs wrapped in a blood flow restriction (BFR) machine and less time taking ground balls, part of a modified pregame and postgame training regimen designed to keep him on the field.
Rojas began the season as a utility man, starting just 30 of the team’s first 73 games through June 16, the day Betts was hit by that pitch from Kansas City Royals right-hander Dan Altavilla.
Rojas started 10 of the first 11 games at shortstop after Betts got hurt, a pace made possible by three off days in the past nine days but one that is not sustainable for a player who has battled leg injuries for several years.
“He’s having a heck of a year offensively and defensively, and I love the edge, the energy, he brings every night,” Roberts said. “The thing I have to be mindful of is managing his playing time because he’s just such a value to our ballclub.
“He will argue like most players that he can play every day, and that should be his mindset. But he’s still an older player who’s had some soft-tissue things, so I will find time to give him days off, because I think it’s best for him and for us long term.”
Rojas, who enters Tuesday night’s game against Arizona with a .287 average, .778 on-base-plus-slugging percentage, three homers, 13 doubles and 15 RBIs in 52 games, finally got a day off Sunday in San Francisco. There were no complaints.
“I think it’s a smart move, because I’m going to have the off-day Monday, too,” Rojas said after he had three RBI singles and a sacrifice fly in Saturday night’s grueling 14-7, 11-inning win over the Giants. “My role on this team changed a little bit when Mookie got hurt, and now I have to play shortstop every day.
“I need to recharge my batteries because I’m a guy that plays all-out, every single day, and I feel like I empty the tank. I need to refuel and be ready for Tuesday.”
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1. Miguel Rojas rounds second base during a win over the Angels on June 22. (Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times) 2. Miguel Rojas throws to first base during a win over the Kansas City Royals on June 14. (Gina Ferazzi / Los Angeles Times)
“I’m taking this really seriously, because I don’t want them to feel like they need to go out there and find someone. I think I can do it.”
— Miguel Rojas, on having an everyday role with the Dodgers
Rojas, the team’s everyday shortstop last season, prides himself on his stellar defense and the passion he plays with.
“I want to inject some energy into the lineup, I want to be in the middle of the field trying to be another manager out there, helping the guys with positioning,” Rojas said. “I play hard every day, whether it’s running the bases or diving for balls. I don’t hold anything for later. I’m not trying to save myself for September.”
But to make it to September and October, Rojas knows he needs to take even better care of his body, which is why he started doing yoga and pilates this spring, stopped wearing the high-top spikes that seemed to affect his Achilles tendons, hamstrings and hips and spends at 30 minutes in the training room before and after every game receiving treatment, including the BFR machine.
Also known as an occlusion training device, the BFR machine restricts blood flow to a muscle, a group of muscles and joints such as elbows and knees in order to beef up the lactic acid produced during exercise, a key component in building muscle. It also aids in recovery and healing.
“I’ve had some fluke injuries, like when I hurt my wrist [on a 2022 slide with Miami],” said Rojas, who had to be pulled from an early June game at Pittsburgh because of a groin injury. “But my legs have been bothering me for the last couple of years.
“So I’ve used the BFR machine on both legs for the last couple of weeks. I follow that with some treatment and more stretching, and I feel good. My body feels much better than it did last year, when I was playing a lot.”
Rojas has cut way back on his pregame routine, which, for the first 2½ months of the season, consisted of extensive work taking ground balls and helping Betts transition to shortstop. In addition to stretching more to increase his flexibility, Rojas is eating better and staying hydrated. He’s getting to sleep earlier.
“I’m taking this really seriously, because I don’t want them to feel like they need to go out there and find someone,” Rojas said. “I think I can do it.”
The moment that fastball hit Betts’ hand, there was speculation that the Dodgers would pursue a trade for a shortstop. Toronto’s Bo Bichette and the Chicago White Sox’s Paul DeJong have been mentioned as candidates, but Bichette is having a career-worst season, and DeJong wouldn’t be much of an upgrade over Rojas.
“That’s the chip on his shoulder — he wants to prove that he’s that guy,” Ebel said of Rojas. “I give him credit for even thinking that.”
Rojas will never be as dangerous in the batter’s box as Betts, but the Dodgers would be hard-pressed to find a better defensive alternative at shortstop.
“It’s a game-changer,” Roberts said of Rojas’ defense. “Mookie was doing the best he could given the circumstances, but Miggy is an 80-grade defender. He grew up as a shortstop. The repetitions that he’s taken over the years, over his life … he’s a lock-down guy.”
Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas, left and Andy Pages talk in the dugout before a game against the Washington Nationals on April 16.
(Wally Skalij / Los Angeles Times)
The challenge for Roberts will be finding that balance between playing Rojas as much as possible and resting him enough to keep him healthy over the next four months.
“For me, it’s talking to the training staff, it’s using my eyes and seeing how his body’s moving, picking out a day game after a night game, things like that,” Roberts said. “There is no exact science. I can’t just say it’s two on, one off, three on, one off, play six in a row.
“But he’s so valuable for us going forward that to make sure we keep him fresh is what’s most important, and that’s what my mindset will be. … I can’t say enough about Miggy Ro. I’m pushing him a little bit as far as playing time, but he’s coming up big.”
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Colorado Buffaloes quarterback Dominiq Ponder died this weekend, the team’s head coach Deion Sanders confirmed on Sunday with a social media post.
“God please comfort the Ponder family, friends and loved ones,” Sanders wrote on social media. “Dom was one of my favorites! He was Loved, Respected & a Born Leader. Let’s pray for all that knew him & had the opportunity to be in his presence. Lord you’re receiving a good 1. Comfort us Lord Comfort us.”
Ponder was 23 years old.
Details of Ponder’s death are not yet known.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his team warm up before an NCAA college football game against TCU Saturday, Oct. 4, 2025, in Fort Worth, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/AP Photo)
Ponder, a 6-foot-5, 200-pound signal caller, joined the Buffaloes and “Coach Prime’s” program in 2024 after spending time at Bethune-Cookman before making his way to Boulder.
Last season, Ponder played just two games for the Buffaloes while serving in his backup role. He recorded two rush attempts and one pass attempt.
The Opa Locka, Fla., native also received tribute from a fellow quarterback with the Buffaloes, Colton Allen.
Bethune-Cookman QB Dominiq Ponder takes a snap during the Wildcats’ spring game Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Daytona Stadium. (IMAGN)
“Dom, you were a blessing to so many people,” Allen wrote on Instagram. “You had a presence about you that just made everything better. You brought so much joy to me and everyone around you. I’m grateful for every lift, every practice, every rep, every conversation we got to share. I’ll carry those with me for the rest of my life.”
Ponder was going to be a part of Colorado’s spring practices, which are set to begin on Monday. It’s unknown if Sanders will postpone the start due to Ponder’s passing.
Ponder also received a tribute from the University of Central Florida.
Colorado head coach Deion Sanders watches his players warm up before an NCAA college football game against Utah, Saturday, Oct. 25, 2025, in Salt Lake City. (Tyler Tate/AP Photo)
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“Our prayers are with Dominiq and the Ponder family along with all in the Colorado football program,” the university’s football account on X wrote.
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Sunday was “Senior Night” for the USC women’s basketball team at Galen Center, but it was the other team’s seniors who stole the show.
Gabriela Jaquez scored 14 points, Kiki Rice had 11 points and four assists and Lauren Betts had 15 rebounds and five assists as UCLA wrapped up the regular season with a 73-50 victory over its rival and finished undefeated in conference play for the first time since going 18-0 in the Pac-10 in 1998-99 under Kathy Olivier.
Having already clinched the regular-season title, UCLA became the first team to navigate the Big Ten schedule without a loss since Maryland in 2014-15.
“These are two elite programs, we knew it would be different tonight, we knew they’d come with fire,” said UCLA coach Cori Close, who improved to 9-4 against the Trojans since counterpart Lindsay Gottlieb started at USC in 2021. “We knew we’d have to do it with our defense, our rebounding and by taking care of the ball.”
It was the Bruins’ 22nd consecutive win, one shy of the record they set last season. Since their lone loss to then-No. 4 Texas on Nov. 26 in Las Vegas, they have won by 20 or more points 17 times.
Ranked second in the nation in both the Associated Press and coaches’ polls behind defending national champion Connecticut (30-0), the Bruins earned the No. 1 seed for the conference tournament in Indianapolis and got a bye into Friday’s quarterfinals.
Charlisse Leger-Walker, nicknamed “X-ray vision” by teammates, equaled her season high with 20 points for the Bruins (28-1, 18-0) while Gianna Kneepkens added 14 points and five assists.
“Anytime we play together we know we can win,” Leger-Walker said. “We did a good job looking into the scout. Every game we just think about going 1-0. People scouting us know that all five players on the court can score the ball.”
UCLA center Lauren Betts, left, controls the ball in front of USC forward Vivian Iwuchukwu during the first half Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
UCLA held USC to 27% shooting in the teams’ first meeting — a 34-point Bruins victory at Pauley Pavilion on Jan. 3 behind Betts’ 18 points. It was USC’s most lopsided loss under coach Lindsay Gottlieb. On Sunday, USC shot 39% and was only three for 19 from three-point range.
“Going undefeated [in conference] is a great step in the right direction towards what we want to accomplish,” said Jaquez, who appreciated the flowers she received before the game from USC. “I love this rivalry. It’s super fun to play against them and it was nice that they honored us too.”
UCLA jumped out to a 14-4 lead in the first five minutes and carried a 19-11 advantage into the second quarter. The Bruins widened the gap to 18 points by halftime, holding the Trojans scoreless for the last 3:08.
USC (17-12, 9-9) opened the second half on an 11-2 run but gave up 14 second-chance points and allowed 22 offensive rebounds.
UCLA guard Kiki Rice, front, and forward Angela Dugalic celebrate as USC guard Kennedy Smith walks away during the first half Sunday.
(Eric Thayer / Los Angeles Times)
“If we get more possessions than our opponent we’re most likely going to win,” Close said. “We didn’t allow one basket on an out-of-bounds play and they lead the conference in that.”
Freshman guard Jazzy Davidson, USC’s leading scorer, got into early foul trouble but still finished with 12 points. She was held to 10 points on four-for-15 shooting in the first meeting.
“It was a great crowd, we were in the fight but we didn’t rebound or shoot well enough,” Gottlieb said. “We wanted to keep them out of our paint. We swarmed Betts, double-teamed her and got it out of her hands but other people scored.”
Londynn Jones, who spent three seasons in Westwood (playing in 108 straight games) before transferring to USC for her senior year, was held to six points in the team’s first meeting and nine points (on four-of-10 shooting) in the rematch. The Trojans’ other senior, Kara Dunn, was held scoreless in the first half and finished with eight points.
“I love Londynn,” Close said. “We think she looks better in blue, but we love her and I told her that. I appreciate all she gave to our programs.”
Asked if this is the best team she has ever coached, Close had a one-word answer.
“Yes.”
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Israel’s national gymnastics team has suspended all training and team activities amid the recent Iranian counter-attack on the country following the U.S.-assisted strikes on Iran.
The Israel Gymnastics Federation (IGF) provided a statement to Fox News Digital announcing the violence has caused “unavoidable disruptions.”
“The current security situation in our region has resulted in unavoidable disruptions to our regular training schedule and has created significant uncertainty regarding the national teams’ professional plans, particularly as we are at the outset of the international season,” the statement read.
“At this time, all training activities have been temporarily suspended, pending approval from the relevant authorities to safely resume operations. Naturally, the suspension of training and the closure of airspace are causing considerable stress and concern. However, the safety and well-being of our gymnasts and professional staff remain our highest priority. We sincerely hope for safer and calmer days ahead, when we can focus solely on sport.”
A source within the team told Fox News Digital on Saturday that the gymnasts have been moving between bomb shelters since Iran’s counterstrikes began.
Israel’s gymnastics team is considered one of nation’s strongest Olympic programs alongside its Judo and sailing teams. The team is only a week removed from a successful trip at the Artistic Gymnastics World Cup in Germany, where the country’s star Artem Dolgopyat won the gold medal in floor gymnastics.
Now, the team will have to seek safety until the attacks are over.
The U.S. Embassy in Jerusalem has directed all U.S. government employees and their family members to continue to shelter in place either in or near their residences as Iran continues to fire missiles at Israel.
Additionally, the embassy announced that due to the security situation, it would be closed on March 2, and did not give an estimate on when it would be reopening. The closure includes consular sections in Jerusalem and Tel Aviv.
The embassy also said it is “not in a position at this time to evacuate or directly assist Americans in departing Israel.” It noted that Ben Gurion Airport remains closed and there there are neither commercial nor charter flights operating from the airport.
On Friday, ahead of the launch of Operation Epic Fury, the embassy gave all non-essential workers permission to leave Israel, with reports that U.S. Ambassador to Israel Mike Huckabee urged those looking to leave to do so as soon as possible.
Iranian airstrikes killed at least eight Israelis on Sunday as Tehran’s latest missile barrage landed just miles from Jerusalem.
The strikes landed in the Israeli city of Beit Shemesh. Initial reports said four people were killed when missiles landed in a residential area on Sunday, but that death toll rose to eight, according to Israel’s national emergency service.
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Iran’s military has carried out counterattacks against Israel and U.S. bases in the Middle East after a joint U.S.-Israeli strike killed Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei on Saturday.
The strikes also killed several other top Iranian leaders, including the head of the Iranian Revolutionary Guard Corps.
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