As Marlins face Dodgers for first time this season, revisiting the Miguel Rojas trade

The Miami Marlins begin a three-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers on Friday at Dodger Stadium, which means this weekend will be the first time this season they face one of the former longstanding members of the organization in shortstop Miguel Rojas.

The Marlins on Jan. 11 traded Rojas to the Dodgers for shortstop prospect Jacob Amaya, ending Rojas’ eight-year run with the Marlins, which was the longest among players on the roster before his trade.

Before the series begins, let’s revisit the trade and how it has worked for both sides.

Miguel Rojas’ tenure with the Marlins

Miami initially acquired Rojas on Dec. 10, 2014, in a trade that also sent Dee Strange-Gordon and Dan Haren to Miami in exchange for Andrew Heaney, Chris Hatcher, Austin Barnes and Kike Hernandez. Rojas had made his MLB debut with the Dodgers in 2014, primarily being used as a defensive replacement.

After serving as a utility player for his first four seasons with the Marlins, Rojas became Miami’s everyday shortstop in 2019 and was a finalist for the National League Gold Glove Award at shortstop in both 2020 and 2022.

He also emerged as the team’s de-facto team captain in the back half of his tenure with the club.

Rojas had a career .265 batting average with 260 RBI, 38 home runs, 136 doubles and 293 runs scored over 870 games with Miami. He received a pair of contract extensions from the Marlins, both two-year deals ahead of the 2020 and 2022 seasons after showing his commitment to the Marlins’ rebuild that to that point had not led to consistent results.

He also served as the team’s representative for the MLB Players’ Association.

Why the Marlins traded Miguel Rojas

The trade, in essence, sent away the Marlins’ shortstop of the present for their shortstop of the future. Rojas, 34, is a free agent after this season. Amaya is 24 and his MLB service time had not yet begun at the time of the trade. The Marlins view Amaya as a top-notch defender, similar to Rojas, who has more upside offensively.

While Amaya did make a brief MLB debut earlier this season, the expectation is for him to compete for the starting spot in 2024.

The trade was also one of the early moves that put Miami’s offseason in motion, specifically with moving parts surrounding the infield.

The Marlins traded Rojas shortly after signing third baseman Jean Segura to a two-year, $17 million deal to play third base. Later on, Miami traded right-handed pitcher Pablo Lopez and two prospects to the Minnesota Twins for second baseman Luis Arraez, a move that led to Jazz Chisholm Jr. playing center field, and signed first baseman Yuli Gurriel.

The infield shuffling continued midseason. At the trade deadline on Aug. 1, Miami sent Segura and 2021 first-round pick Kahlil Watson to the Cleveland Guardians for first baseman Josh Bell, acquired third baseman Jake Burger from the Chicago White Sox and dealt first baseman Garrett Cooper to the San Diego Padres for pitcher Ryan Weathers.

How Miguel Rojas has done this season

Rojas enters Friday with a .220 batting average and .571 on-base-plus-slugging mark in 92 games this season for the Dodgers, including 78 starts at shortstop. He has 13 doubles, three home runs 23 RBI and 36 runs scored.

Defensively, he still remains one of the league’s top shortstops. His 11 defensive runs saved are the fourth most among shortstops this season.

How Miami Marlins handled shortstop this season

Joey Wendle and Jon Berti have taken the bulk of the reps at shortstop with season, with the left-handed hitting Wendle making 64 starts and the right-handed-hitting Berti making 44 starts. Garrett Hampson (11 starts) and Amaya (three starts) account for the other 14 games entering Friday.

Wendle, playing shortstop full-time for the first time in his big league career, has held his own in the role. He is credited with six defensive runs saved, seventh in MLB at the position according to FanGraphs. Like Rojas, though, Wendle’s bat has been inconsistent. Wendle enters Friday with a .236 batting average and .599 OPS — and that’s with a dominant June in which Wendle hit .354 with an .835 OPS.

Berti, who has been the Marlins’ utility player his whole career, has accounted for one defensive run saved and three outs above average in 381 innings at shortstop. Berti has also started at second base, third base and in left field this season.

How Jacob Amaya has fared

Amaya, ranked as the No. 6 prospect in Miami’s system according to MLB Pipeline, got a brief taste of the big leagues in June, playing in four games and going 2 for 9 with two RBI and one run scored.

In the minor leagues, he is hitting .270 with a .775 OPS, 11 home runs, 23 doubles, 54 RBI and 64 runs scored in 96 games for the Triple A Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp.