Los Angeles Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas took time away from Major League Baseball’s postseason this past weekend to complete a U.S. citizenship test, a personal milestone he says he pursued for the sake of his family.
“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, who is from Venezuela, first arrived in the United States at age 16 as a prospect in the Cincinnati Reds organization. He is now 37 and has raised two children in the country.
“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 has spent 13 seasons in the majors and is a well-known figure for Dodgers fans. In last year’s World Series, he hit the game-tying home run in the ninth inning off Toronto’s Jeff Hoffman. Teammate Will Smith followed with a home run of his own, and Los Angeles went on to win the championship — the second of Rojas’ tenure with the club.
Rojas announced at the start of this season that it would be his last as a player. While his on-field career is winding down, his status as a U.S. citizen is just getting underway.
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