ATLANTA -- While the Dodgers secured a 3-1 victory over the Braves in NLDS Game 3 on Tuesday night, the win came with an injury concern as veteran infielder Miguel Rojas exited in the top of the eighth inning due to lower back pain.
Rojas said he sustained the injury to his lower left back and hip area during a defensive play to end the bottom of the fifth inning. With two runners on, Ronald Acuña Jr. grounded a ball to the second baseman Rojas, who fielded the ball and threw to first to strand both runners and protect the Dodgers’ lead.
"The tightness started to happen after the play at second base when I kind of slipped right there with the grass," Rojas explained postgame. "The playing field here is sometimes inconsistent. ... They had new grass in the middle of the year, and we knew in advance it was going to be a factor. [Yoshinobu] Yamamoto kind of slipped [as well]. I just wasn't able to bounce back from what I was feeling on my hip, and my lower back tightened up. Nothing you can do right there. All you have to do is try to go as long as you can."
Rojas pushed through the discomfort until he stepped into the box against left-hander Brent Suter three innings later.
"I knew my at-bat there in the eighth was going to be against a lefty, and I felt like I was the right guy to take that at-bat," Rojas said. "I went to the plate without telling anything to the coaches, and unfortunately, when I took the swing, I tweaked it a little more."
After that swing, Rojas was lifted mid-at-bat. Utility man Tommy Edman took over the plate appearance and replaced Rojas at second base.
Regarding his availability in Game 4, Rojas noted it remains a wait-and-see situation.
"It's really early to see how I'm going to feel," Rojas said. "I'm just going to do a couple rounds of treatment today and then see how I wake up tomorrow."
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts credited Rojas for stepping aside when he did, though he anticipates the veteran may need a night off.
"I think that's kind of how he comes in tomorrow," Roberts said. "He probably won't be in there tomorrow against [Braves starter Tyler] Mahle. ... Hopefully he feels better tomorrow."
Rojas went 0-for-3 with a strikeout before exiting.
"To be honest, I was just really happy to be in that game today," Rojas said. "It was one of the best games that I've ever been a part of, just because of the way that the guys were willing to sacrifice anything to just stay with the approach [we had planned]. And that's what I take from the game. I'll be fine, regardless of what the result with my back is, but I'm just happy that I was part of the game."