Only days after the Detroit Tigers traded Jake Rogers to the Baltimore Orioles, the veteran once again finds himself on the move to yet another new city.
The Boston Red Sox have acquired Rogers from the Orioles along with C Adley Rutschman. In return, they sent RHP Anthony Eyanson, RHP Kyson Witherspoon, OF Enddy Azocar and C Carlos Narváez to Baltimore.
Former Detroit Tigers Catcher Jake Rogers Was Traded Twice Inside Of A Week
The Jake Rogers era with the Detroit Tigers came to a close over the weekend when he was dealt to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for minor league right-hander Zane Barnhart.
Upon being acquired by the Orioles, he was immediately designated for assignment, as he was by the Tigers shortly before being dealt.
Rogers, who was originally acquired by the Tigers as part of the blockbuster Justin Verlander deal in 2017, had been the second-longest tenured member of the team behind only Wenceel Perez.
And naturally, it was a very difficult thing for his teammates to say goodbye to him.
“We were all holding back tears last night,” first baseman Spencer Torkelson said. “It hurts. Jake was a big piece of this team for a long time. He helped create our identity. Talk about a guy who showed up each and every day as the same guy. It hurts.”
“It’s tough,” skipper AJ Hinch said. “I love Jake. He’s been here as long as I’ve been here. We did everything from walking down memory lane to just explaining the timing and how the decision got made.”
As Hinch would explain, the decision to DFA Rogers had more to do with the emergence of rookie Eduardo Valencia instead of the veteran’s diminishing numbers.
“We’ve been consistent with giving opportunity when we feel like it’s been earned,” Hinch said. “And we love what Valencia did when he was up here (5 for 12, two homers in six games earlier this month). We’re trying to maximize that roster spot the best we can. Jake admitted himself that it hadn’t been an easy road for him performance-wise. We needed to make a call.”
The Tigers Made The Difficult Call To Part Ways With Jake Rogers
Rogers, who was Detroit’s starting catcher for the 2024 season, had struggled this season at the plate, hitting just .161 with a .567 OPS. He also has three home runs and nine RBI.
Despite his popularity in the clubhouse, professional sports is a “what have you done for me lately” type of business.
“Two things can exist at the same time,” Hinch said. “We can be super thankful and enjoy the time we had with Jake. But also make the decision to help us take a step forward and use that spot in a better way. Both personally and professionally, I told Jake I Iove him. He’s been a big part of the personality of this team and this organization. He’s going to land on his feet.”
So far in his MLB career, Rogers has hit 47 home runs with 138 RBI in 365 games played.
Popular Former Tigers Veteran Gets Traded Again