The Dodgers got the result they needed in Game 3, but the bigger question for Dodgers next game may be whether Miguel Rojas can answer the call. Rojas left in the middle of his at-bat in the top of the eighth inning after his lower back tightened, a reminder that even in a tight postseason win, availability can shift from detail to storyline in an instant.
The Dodgers beat the Atlanta Braves 3-1 on Tuesday to move closer to a third consecutive NLCS appearance, but the night was not only about the final score. It was also about how they won it: Yoshinobu Yamamoto delivered seven innings of one-run baseball with 10 strikeouts, and Kiké Hernández supplied the decisive swing with a two-run home run in his second at-bat against Chris Sale. Through three playoff games, the Dodgers’ offense has scored only on home runs, which makes every lineup spot feel a little more fragile than usual.
Rojas left after a play that had already tested him
Rojas’ exit came after a sequence that showed both his value and his discomfort. He made an off-balanced throw to first base for the final out of the bottom of the sixth inning, then later fouled a pitch off and left in the middle of his at-bat in the top of the eighth. After the game, he said the tightness began after the play at second base when he slid on the grass, and that he was not able to bounce back from what he felt in his hip and lower back.
That matters because Rojas is not just another name in a postseason lineup. Even if he is not driving the offense, he is part of the Dodgers’ infield stability, and this version of the club has already shown how much it leans on a few specific moments rather than sustained offensive volume. When a game is decided by one swing and seven dominant innings, losing a defender or a contact bat in the middle of the night can change the next game’s shape almost immediately.
Dodgers Next Game now carries a health watch
Rojas said he was looking forward to being ready for Game 4 if the Dodgers need him, which is encouraging but not a guarantee. That is the practical takeaway from Tuesday: the Dodgers won, but they may have to monitor one of their infield pieces closely as they try to finish the job and keep their postseason path moving forward.
There is also a larger pattern in the way this series has unfolded. The Dodgers and the Atlanta Braves split the first two games in LA, so Game 3 was already a pivotal turn in the series. With the offense still searching for ways to score beyond the long ball, the team will want as much lineup and infield continuity as possible heading into the following game.
For now, the Dodgers have the lead and the momentum. But the next step in Dodgers next game may depend on how Rojas feels after a night that was shaped as much by his back as by the box score.
