Dodgers expect Miguel Rojas to return for NLCS after cortisone injection

The Los Angeles Dodgers are preparing for the NLCS with a key infield option back in the picture. After Miguel Rojas was removed during Game 3 of the NLDS with a back injury and then did not appear off the bench in Game 4, manager Dave Roberts told reporters, including The Athletic’s Fabian Ardaya, that Rojas is expected to be available for the NLCS. Roberts also pointed to a cortisone injection that helped “loosen up” the area, according to the Dodgers’ comments reported after Game 4.

Rojas’ availability matters because the Dodgers’ path through the postseason has leaned heavily on flexible roles and reliable at-bats from players who can move across the infield and spell teammates depending on matchups. In a series where lineups tighten and managers use fewer levers, losing a bench infielder can reduce late-inning substitutions and complicate defensive alignment.

The timeline of Rojas’ status, as reported, also frames what the Dodgers are trying to manage. He left Game 3 with a back issue, and even though he was on the roster for Game 4, he was not available off the bench. That suggests the organization viewed his mobility and day-to-day readiness as uncertain enough to limit his postseason workload in the short term.

Beyond Rojas, the Dodgers’ current planning includes at least one additional roster adjustment. Roberts is also reported to have indicated that Los Angeles will add a long reliever for the NLCS. That points to a bullpen-building approach tailored to the second round, where the combination of starter usage, late-inning leverage, and matchup math can make the back end of the bullpen more important than a simple “who has the most innings” calculation.

The Dodgers are now in the stage of October baseball where “expected to be available” carries weight but is not the same as guaranteed availability. Back-related issues can change quickly, and even when a treatment improves range of motion, teams still tend to monitor symptoms closely once the intensity of consecutive postseason games returns.

For Dodgers fans, the immediate question becomes how the roster will balance infield depth with bullpen needs once Rojas is cleared. If Rojas is active, Los Angeles can potentially maintain its usual internal flexibility, including options for late-game defensive substitutions and pinch-hit roles that often swing late at-bats.

For opponents, the subtext is straightforward. A healthy Rojas would give the Dodgers another experienced bat and an extra defensive option during high-leverage innings, which can affect how other teams construct pitching plans against the lineup and how aggressively they attack specific matchups.

What to watch next is the Dodgers’ official NLCS roster announcement and day-to-day updates leading into the first game. If Rojas is included and available, Los Angeles’ lineup construction and late-game substitutions should look more like their standard postseason toolkit. If his status changes, the reported long-reliever addition becomes only part of a broader bullpen-and-bench reshaping that the Dodgers would need to make quickly.