A World Series hero whose Major League dream began as a child growing up in Los Teques, Venezuela, is trying to bring hope to his home country through the sport that he and so many Venezuelan children love: baseball.
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From bats, hats and balls to gloves, cleats and uniforms, thousands of baseball-related items are piling up at All-Star Training Center in Miramar. They’ll soon be shipped to children in Venezuela who lost so much in June’s catastrophic earthquakes.
The man leading the relief effort is one of Venezuela’s biggest baseball stars: Dodgers infielder Miguel Rojas.
“We all know the magnitude of what happened, and it’s way bigger than baseball,” Rojas said. “But I think the sport of baseball can give you a hope.”
Before he became a World Series champion with the Dodgers, Rojas was a champion in his home country, winning a title with Tiburones de La Guaira.
La Guaira is among the areas now devastated by the earthquakes. It’s a place where baseball isn’t just the most popular sport – it’s a passion for so many children who share Rojas’ Major League dream.
“We want to continue to support and help the kids that are out there, that they’re gonna have a dream,” Rojas said.
Rojas’ wife and two children were in Caracas when the earthquakes hit. They’re OK, but saw firsthand what the people in Venezuela were suffering through.
Together, the family launched a campaign dubbed “A Home Run for Venezuela,” and they weren’t alone.
Rojas said that before he could even ask his teammates for help, baseball’s biggest star had already stepped up to the plate.
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“My wife received a message that Shohei stepped up on his own and kind of sent a bunch of stuff over,” Rojas said.
Shohei Ohtani reached out to New Balance and had dozens of boxes of clothing, shoes, batting gloves and more delivered.
“I was really surprised and obviously grateful for having a guy like him,” Rojas said.
Rojas, who used to play for the Marlins and lives in South Florida during the offseason, also connected with his friends at All-Star Training Center.
The facility became home base for the donations pouring in.
“Being able to collect all this stuff and send it to our country, the impact that we’re gonna make on those kids right now, you can’t imagine,” said Jose Avila of All-Star Training Center. “Even I can’t imagine what it’s gonna signify for them.”
Thousands of items. Dozens of boxes. And a lot of people, all playing for the same team.
“We want them to feel they have someone that supports them to continue to chase their dreams,” Rojas said.
For many of those children, that dream is to be the next Miguel Rojas.
Rojas says the outpouring of generosity means the campaign will not only be able to help children in La Guaira, but also children in Los Teques, Caracas and other surrounding communities.
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