Blake Snell, Yoshinobu Yamamoto in splits as $11,000,000 infielder breaks out hilarious impressions of Dodgers pitching staff
The Los Angeles Dodgers were decimated in Saturday's contest against the Chicago Cubs. With a final score of 16-0, the defending champions incurred their worst home loss in history. However, that didn't stop Miguel Rojas from having some fun. He had pitchers Blake Snell and Yoshinobu Yamamoto in stitches as he debuted on the mound for 2025.
From Landon Knack to Roki Sasaki, Rojas tried every pitching impression imaginable. His actions created lighthearted interactions in the dugout in spite of their tough outing. The utility infielder, who signed a two-year, $11 million extension with the Dodgers in 2023, first tried Yamamoto's simple mechanics, followed by Knack's very laid-back stance.
In the following inning, he imitated Clayton Kershaw's famous high-knee wind-up.
Finally, the 36-year-old almost had Snell and Yamamoto in tears as he tried Roki Sasaki's patented pitching mechanics, complete with the high kick.
With the Cubs leading 7-0, skipper Dave Roberts deployed Rojas to finish the last two innings of the contest. Although he gave up nine runs in just his fourth mound appearance, he certainly earned some smiles within the team.
Los Angeles Dodgers suffer worst home loss in history
The lopsided scoreline marked the worst home loss for the Dodgers in franchise history, surpassing the 1988 team that lost to the Pirates 15-0.
Young phenom Roki Sasaki actually had a respectable start as he only gave up one earned run via a home run, four base hits, and two walks with three strikeouts. However, he still ate the loss after five innings of work.
Dodgers manager Dave Roberts then inserted reliever Ben Casparius to relieve the pressure on Sasaki. Casparius was immaculate in six appearances this year, not giving up a run across nine innings. However, Justin Turner's RBI single broke the reliever's momentum and he surrendered six earned runs in just 1 and 2/3 innings.
Luis Garcia was tapped in hopes of stopping the bleeding. However, he gave up four runs as the Cubs' lead ballooned to seven at the end of the seventh inning. Miguel Rojas was then sent out to finish the game as the Dodgers were smashed 16-0.
Chicago Cubs starter Ben Brown was rewarded with a victory after a solid five-inning performance with just five base hits given up and five strikeouts. Chicago backstop Carson Kelly hit two home runs and went 3-for-3 with three RBIs and three runs scored. First baseman Michael Busch also had a productive game as he hit a home run and went 4-for-6 with three RBIs and four runs scored.