Dodgers Show Support for Venezuela After Earthquakes

Shortly before the Dodgers played in Minneapolis on Wednesday, Venezuela experienced significant earthquakes. Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas had family in the area at the time. His wife and children were visiting, while his sister resides there. The quakes, with magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, struck the northern coastal state of La Guaira.

The earthquakes caused severe destruction. Over 770 buildings collapsed and more than 1,450 people lost their lives. Luckily, Rojas confirmed that his family members were unharmed. He expressed his relief to reporters before Friday’s game against the Padres in San Diego, saying, “I’m really lucky to have my family still alive and with me. I’m not taking this for granted.”

Rojas’ wife and children were in Caracas to renew her passport and to potentially secure Venezuelan citizenship for the children. His sister was in their hometown of Los Teques, situated about 17 miles south of the coastal devastation.

“It’s really tough to see teammates of mine and players that I played with at some point in my career to lose family members, to lose kids,” Rojas shared. He remembered his time playing baseball in La Guaira and described the difficulty of dealing with the tragedy.

Rojas mentioned staying in touch with his family daily and planned to bring them to the United States as soon as feasible. The region continued to experience aftershocks up to Sunday morning.

During the Dodgers and Padres series at Petco Park on Friday, both teams wore caps with “VZ” embroidered on the side. This was to honor and raise awareness for the people of Venezuela as they begin their recovery process.

Rojas expressed gratitude, remarking, “We are on one of the biggest stages in sports, and I really appreciate what the Dodgers do to support us.” He noted the importance of continuing support as the country heads into a long recovery.

Times staff writer Maddie Lee contributed to the report.