DETROIT -- Jake Rogers made the walk down the underground tunnel to the clubhouse level at Comerica Park hundreds of times over the last seven years. On Saturday, for the first time in his career, he turned right instead of left.
That’s the direction for the visiting clubhouse rather than the home one. It was a strange way for Rogers to make his White Sox debut. But Rogers’ career has taken a lot of strange turns lately.
“It's been a crazy few weeks here, been a whirlwind to say the least,” Rogers said Saturday morning, hours before Chicago's 4-3 win over Detroit. “It's been fun to kind of meet some new guys and kind of bounce around, so to say. But it's kind of good to get settled in here with Chicago, funny to kind of have a full turnaround and play my first game with [the White Sox] in Detroit. Of course it happens like that.”
Such is the life of a catcher, particularly one who isn’t a primary starter. Several former Tigers catchers have continued their careers with the Sox, including Alex Avila and James McCann. Neither had nearly the path that Rogers has had since his last game with Detroit here on July 25.
“I texted him and told him, ‘Baseball’s really weird,’” Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said.
After six-plus seasons with the Tigers, Rogers’ career has become a running transaction wire:
- July 28: Designated for assignment by Tigers
“The convo they had when they said that they were going to DFA and possibly trade, it was a tough conversation,” Rogers said. “Obviously, I spent most of my career here. It was a sore spot. It was a tough conversation, but we got through it. Thankfully I think it kinda helped me that most of the [players] were gone and it was a later conversation. I got to say goodbye to a few guys but I got a lot of texts from guys the next day, which kinda makes it a little easier.”
- July 30: Traded to Orioles
“I went home to Dallas for a few days, got traded to Baltimore, went to Baltimore, they had an off day, played three games there,” Rogers recalled.
Rogers made his O’s debut on July 31 and played their entire three-game series against the Phillies.
“When I got over there, they were just like, 'Hey, we're excited to have you,'” Rogers said. “I figured I was going to be there.”
- Aug. 3: Traded to Red Sox
Rogers was thrown into the Adley Rutschman trade to Boston so that the Red Sox had a healthy catcher while Rutschman was working back from a wrist injury. Rogers made his Red Sox debut on Aug. 6 … against the White Sox. He caught the final three innings of their 13-inning marathon and hit a 12th-inning sacrifice fly to send the game to the 13th.
“That was an incredible game, just back and forth,” Rogers said. “It was a lot of fun, me coming in there in the later innings. It was just a crazy game, hard fought on both sides.”
Rogers started the next day and had a two-double, three-run game against the Athletics. But he figured his stay would not be long.
- Aug. 11: Designated for assignment by Red Sox
“Obviously, when the trade happened with Adley, I knew [I was] just playing the game for a little bit. I figured that once he came back, they had to make a move and it seemed like I was a choice,” Rogers said. "[Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig] Breslow and everybody in Boston couldn't have been nicer and handled the whole situation perfectly.”
- Aug. 14: Claimed off waivers by White Sox
“It's awesome,” Rogers said. “This team has always had a bunch of pesky hitters and tough outs, and a lot of guys that can slug now and guys that can pitch. And I think it's just a really good young team over here. They've been fun to watch from afar and hard to get out as a catcher, so glad to not be calling pitches against them anymore.”
That’s a lot of travel, including a Boston road trip to Toronto and a couple of trips home to Dallas. And while his move to the White Sox brought him back to what was home, he does not get to sleep in his own bed: He gave his apartment to Tigers team operations director Abe Silvestri so that another player could have it.
Rogers’ catching gear is another story.
“Yeah, I might be wearing navy gear today,” Rogers said. “Mizuno on a weekend was a little tough getting stuff in. I owe something to [former Orioles and new Dodgers catcher] Chadwick Tromp, because I wore his gear for the first couple days in Baltimore because it was on a weekend. And then they got my gear in for Boston just in time for me to get here. So I'll be wearing dark navy gear today. Hope no one gets too mad at me.”
He’ll be forgiven. Rogers was cheered during pregame lineup introductions, then received a lengthy standing ovation -- including from Tigers catcher Eduardo Valencia, whom he mentored in Spring Training -- when he stepped to the plate for his first at-bat in the second inning.
"It was weird. It was awesome," said Rogers, who finished 0-for-4. "The guys were good, and some guys didn't want to talk to me when they got in the box. Some guys did. So, it's just fun to kind of see them on the other side when they're competing against you and not for you. And obviously, the whole, 'give me time,' it was very, very nice of everybody to kind of welcome me back. And it was a very, very cool moment for sure."
Said Tigers starting pitcher Troy Melton, who stepped off the mound to allow for the applause: “He obviously meant a lot to everybody in this locker room. It can’t be overstated how important he was, personally helping me become a Major Leaguer, not only the stuff on the field but off of it. He’s a big part of this room and a big leader, and it’s really cool to see the fans show some appreciation.”