The Boston Red Sox made a quick change to their catching lineup this week. Just eight days after acquiring him in a major trade deadline deal, they designated catcher Jake Rogers for assignment.
Rogers joined the team on August 3 along with All-Star Adley Rutschman and some cash from the Baltimore Orioles. In return, the Red Sox sent several prospects and players: right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfielder Enddy Azocar, and catcher Carlos Narvaez.
Rutschman was activated from the injured list after recovering from a wrist injury he sustained with the Orioles. He made his debut for Boston in a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, going 1-for-3 with two walks in his first game.
With Rutschman healthy and ready, the team decided they no longer needed three catchers on their roster. Connor Wong remains as the primary backup, leaving Rogers without a spot. Rogers played in a few games for Boston, hitting 3-for-6 with two doubles. He’s known for his strong defensive skills but hasn’t provided much offense.
At 31 years old, Rogers still has about $765,000 left on his $3.05 million salary. The Red Sox hope another team will claim him off waivers to avoid paying the remaining amount.
This move comes after a busy few months for Rogers. He was designated by the Detroit Tigers in late July and later traded to Baltimore before being included in the deal that brought Rutschman to Boston. Now he faces the waiver process again. Some think the Orioles might bring him back or that the New York Yankees could show interest, though they recently signed veteran catcher Mitch Garver.
The decision to move on from Rogers was a straightforward roster choice. With Rutschman healthy and Wong available, carrying a third catcher didn’t make sense for a team aiming for the playoffs. Now Rogers waits to see if another club will give him another chance before the season ends.