Dodgers biggest 1st half surprise saved them from injury to superstar

In the broad context about the Los Angeles Dodgers' 2024 season, there isn't a lot to be surprised about.

Shohei Ohtani has been very good. Freddie Freeman & Will Smith, too. Tyler Glasnow was an All-Star atop the rotation. In a general sense, the players that were supposed to be good have been quite good. When healthy at least. But when you think about first half surprises, there's really only one option.

Miguel Rojas was expected to fill something of an infield utility role for this team in '24. The infield from the outset was locked. Freeman, Gavin Lux, Mookie Betts, and Max Muncy comprised the starting four on the dirt.

In a supplementary role, Rojas fared quite well. His slash included a .278 average and .328 on-base percentage, with the team's lowest K% by a wide margin (7.8). There wasn't a ton of power (.167 ISO) or walk (6.9 BB%) in there, but as a bench bat, he was kind of giving exactly what you'd like to get. His 119 wRC+ painted a picture of a well-above-average hitter. To say nothing of the strong defense he provided.

Of course, the injury to Mookie Betts pressed Rojas into far more service than anyone expected. And the results have been stunning for a guy with a career wRC+ of 84.

Since Betts' injury, Rojas has continued to provide much of the same output over a larger sample. He's hit .293 and reached base at a .333 clip. The strikeout rate has risen a bit, but a 13.4 K% still trails only Freeman as the team's best over that stretch. He's remained above average by wRC+ at 109.

That stretch of games runs his season totals up to a .284/.330/.426/.756 slash, with a 10.1 K% and .142 ISO. His full-season wRC+ sits at 115. With the glove, he features a Fielding Run Value of 4, indicating a pretty above average defender at shortstop.

Essentially everything Miguel Rojas has turned in represents a career high. He's not performing at an elite level, mind you, especially given the lack of power in his bat. But things could have gone well south in the absence of Mookie Betts.

Instead, they've gotten career outputs from Rojas along the way. To the point where it's not an entirely unreasonable thought that they could keep him in place at the six and flip Betts over to second base upon his return. Considering the injuries to two key infielders and struggles of another (Lux), Rojas has been an indispensable part of the 2024 Los Angeles Dodgers.