Mel Rojas

{{Infobox baseball biography

|name=Mel Rojas

|position=Pitcher

|bats=Right

|throws=Right

|birth_date={{Birth date and age|1966|12|10}}

|birth_place=Haina, Dominican Republic

|debutleague = MLB

|debutdate=August 1

|debutyear=1990

|debutteam=Montreal Expos

|finalleague = MLB

|finaldate=July 1

|finalyear=1999

|finalteam=Montreal Expos

|statleague = MLB

|stat1label=Won–loss record

|stat1value=34–31

|stat2label=Earned run average

|stat2value=3.82

|stat3label=Strikeouts

|stat3value=562

|stat4label=Saves

|stat4value=126

|teams=

Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1990}}–{{mlby|1996}})
Chicago Cubs ({{mlby|1997}})
New York Mets ({{mlby|1997}}–{{mlby|1998}})
Los Angeles Dodgers ({{mlby|1999}})
Detroit Tigers ({{mlby|1999}})
Montreal Expos ({{mlby|1999}})

}}

Melquíades Rojas Medrano (born December 10, 1966) is a Dominican former Major League Baseball (MLB) relief pitcher. From 1990 to 1999, he played for the Montreal Expos, Chicago Cubs, New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers of the National League and the Detroit Tigers of the American League.{{cite web

|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/11/mel-rojas-jr-kbo-mvp-mlb-kt-wiz.html

|title=Mel Rojas Jr. Drawing Interest After MVP-Caliber KBO Season

|date=November 28, 2020

|access-date=December 14, 2020

|website=mlbtraderumors.com }}

Career

His best season was in 1992, when he posted a 7-1 record in 68 relief appearances. Rojas had an amazing 1.43 ERA in 100.2 innings, and a WHIP of 1.043. He primarily was the set up man for closer John Wetteland (37 saves in 1992), but Rojas was able to accumulate 10 saves that season.{{cite web

|url=https://www.mlb.com/news/best-relief-pitchers-in-nationals-expos-history

|title=Expos/Nationals' Top 5 relief pitchers: Camerato's take

|date=June 8, 2020

|author=Jessica Camerato

|access-date=December 14, 2020

|website=mlb.com }}

On May 11, 1994, Rojas struck out three batters on nine pitches in the ninth inning of a 4-3 win over the New York Mets. Rojas became the 19th National League pitcher and the 28th pitcher in major-league history to accomplish an immaculate inning.{{cite web

|url=https://metsfocus.com/david-cone-immaculate-inning/

|title=David Cone's immaculate inning

|access-date=December 14, 2020

|website=metsfocus.com }}

Mel Rojas joined the Sinon Bulls of the Chinese Professional Baseball League in Taiwan in 2004, played 11 games, posted 3 saves with 1.20 ERA and 14 strikeouts in 15 innings, but then was released by the team after the season ended.{{cite web

|url=https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2020/12/mel-rojas-jr-signs-with-hanshin-tigers.html

|title=Mel Rojas Jr. Signs with Hanshin Tigers

|date=December 14, 2020

|website=mlbtraderumors.com }}

Personal life

Mel Rojas is the nephew of Felipe, Jesús, and Matty Alou and the cousin of Moisés Alou.

Mel Rojas' son, Mel Rojas Jr. was selected 84th overall in the 2010 Major League Baseball Draft by the Pittsburgh Pirates. He played for the KT Wiz of the KBO League from 2017 until 2020, winning the league MVP in 2020. He is currently again playing for the KT Wiz after playing for the Hanshin Tigers of the NPB.