Dodgers shortstop Miguel Rojas confirmed his wife and two children were safe in Caracas, Venezuela, when powerful earthquakes struck the nation's northern coast, causing widespread destruction and fatalities.
The seismic events, registering magnitudes of 7.2 and 7.5, devastated the coastal state of La Guaira, resulting in the collapse of over 770 buildings and claiming at least 1,450 lives, according to local authorities. Rojas' family, who were in the capital for his wife's passport renewal and to secure Venezuelan citizenship for his children, were located approximately six miles south of the most heavily impacted areas. His sister resides in Los Teques, a town about 17 miles south of the destruction.
Rojas expressed profound relief and gratitude for his family's safety, noting the proximity of the destruction to their location. "Literally two blocks away from where my family was, two buildings collapsed — the whole building," he stated. "I’m lucky, to be honest with you guys. I’m really lucky to have my family still alive and with me. I’m not taking this for granted."
The experience has been deeply affecting for Rojas, who has personal ties to the affected region, having played baseball in La Guaira for years. "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 shared. "It’s really devastating. It’s been really hard for me to go to sleep at night."
Speaking on Friday, Rojas maintained daily contact with his family and expressed his intention to reunite with them in the United States as soon as feasible. His comments came as aftershocks continued to affect the country. In solidarity, both the Dodgers and the visiting San Diego Padres wore caps embroidered with "VZ" during their game on Friday to honor the Venezuelan people as they begin the recovery process.
"That means a lot because both teams will be doing it — it means a lot, because it brings awareness," Rojas commented on the gesture. "We are on one of the biggest stages in sports, and I really appreciate what the Dodgers do to support us. It’s not just what happens now, it’s what’s going to happen in the future. It’s going to take a long time for people to recover."
