Earthquakes Impact Venezuela Shortly Before Dodgers Game

Just hours before the Los Angeles Dodgers played in Minneapolis, Venezuela experienced two powerful earthquakes. The wife and children of Miguel Rojas, the Dodgers shortstop, were visiting the country, which is also home to his sister. The earthquakes, measuring 7.2 and 7.5 in magnitude, caused massive destruction in the state of La Guaira.

According to local authorities, over 770 buildings were destroyed and at least 1,450 people lost their lives. Thankfully, Rojas’ family members were unharmed, as he shared with reporters before Friday’s game against the San Diego Padres.

“Literally two blocks away from where my family was, two buildings collapsed — the whole building,” he expressed. “I’m lucky to have my family still alive and with me. I’m not taking this for granted.”

Family and Community’s Close Call

Rojas’ wife and kids were in Caracas, the capital of Venezuela, which is relatively close to the devastated coastal area. His wife intended to renew her passport, while their children aimed to acquire Venezuelan citizenship. Rojas’ sister was located in Los Teques, about 17 miles away from the destruction.

Reflecting on the event, Rojas shared his emotional struggle knowing that friends and former teammates lost loved ones. He spent significant time playing baseball in La Guaira and explained the difficulty in dealing with the 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,” he said. “It’s really devastating. It’s been really hard for me to go to sleep at night.”

Support from the Sports Community

Rojas maintained daily communication with his family members in Venezuela and hoped to bring them to the U.S. quickly. Meanwhile, aftershocks persisted in the country.

As the Dodgers faced off against the Padres at Petco Park, both teams sported caps with “VZ” embroidered to honor Venezuela and its recovery journey.

“That means a lot because both teams will be doing it — it means a lot, because it brings awareness,” Rojas remarked. “We are on one of the biggest stages in sports, and I really appreciate what the Dodgers do to support us.”

Rojas emphasized that Venezuela’s road to recovery would be long and the importance of continued support. Both teams stood united in raising awareness for Venezuela during this challenging time.