Jake

Rogers

Rogers served as the Tigers’ starting catcher for much of 2024, hitting .197/.255/.352 with 10 home runs in 337 plate appearances. However, he posted a 2.2 WAR despite those offensive struggles thanks to elite defense behind the plate. Former top prospect Dillon Dingler will split time with Rogers this season, but the veteran’s defense will keep him in the lineup often.

Rogers, who has started every Tigers postseason game behind the plate, is expected to be ready for Saturday’s Game 5.

Details on Rogers’ injury are scarce. It’s unclear when and how he suffered the injury as well as if he injured his wrist or forearm. Rogers has started all six playoff games for the Tigers so far and caught all of Tarik Skubal’s starts during the regular season. Dillon Dingler is the backup option if Rogers can’t go in Game 5 on Saturday.

It seems several Tigers players are dealing with a bug. Jake Rogers will be behind the plate with Dingler unable to start.

Rogers victimized Angels’ right-hander Johnny Cueto with his 422-foot (102.6-mph EV) solo shot, giving the Tigers a 3-2 lead that they would never relinquish. That would be the 29-year-old backstop’s only hit in three at-bats on the night. For the season, he’s slashing a disappointing .196/.240/.376 with 10 homers and 34 RBI.

Rogers smacked a run-scoring double off of Ky Bush in the fourth inning that extended the Tigers’ early lead to 4-0. He then raced around to score on an RBI single off the bat of Parker Meadows. Rogers then delivered a two-run single off of Touki Toussaint in the fourth that made it a 9-3 ballgame. He also doubled in the ninth and rode home on Zach McKinstry’s two-run blast. On the season, the 29-year-old backstop is hitting an underwhelming .194/.239/.364 with nine long balls and 33 RBI.

The slam off George Kirby was Rogers’ fourth in just 26 plate appearances with the bases loaded in his career. It’s the first seven-RBI game for a Tiger since, you guessed it, Ryan Raburn knocked in seven against the White Sox on July 25, 2007 and the first seven-RBI game for a catcher since the Rockies’ Elias Díaz had that many on Sept. 9, 2022. Rogers had just 23 RBI in 70 games this season coming into this one.

Rogers stepped in to bat with the bases loaded in the sixth inning. Up by one run, he made it a five-run game with a grand slam off Trevor Richards. The 29-year-old backstop is up to seven homers and 20 RBI while slashing .204/.251/.360 across 199 plate appearances.

Vierling will miss at least a game with the foot injury, which was picked up during Saturday’s game against the Angels. The 27-year-old will sit with Riley Greene moving over to center field and Jake Rogers inserted into the lineup as the designated hitter.

Rogers delivered a run-scoring sacrifice fly in the fourth inning before taking Angels starter Griffin Canning deep in his next at-bat. It was his sixth long ball of the season and lone extra-base hit for Detroit during an extra-inning marathon.