Jake Rogers didn’t stay long in Boston, but the way the Red Sox handled his brief stop clearly left an impression.
Rogers, who was part of the same deal that brought Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox, was brought in to give Boston a catcher who could provide a small impact while Rutschman worked back from injury. That arrangement was always going to be temporary, and once Rutschman returned, Boston had to make a move. Rogers ended up being the odd man out.
Still, Rogers said the experience with the Red Sox was a good one. Speaking to reporters, he said the organization treated him well throughout the process.
“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, per MLB.com.
"[Red Sox chief baseball officer Craig] Breslow and everybody in Boston couldn't have been nicer and handled the whole situation perfectly.”
For Boston, that matters. Teams don’t want to leave veterans with a sour taste after a short stint, especially in a league where word travels fast. Rogers’ comments suggest the Red Sox managed that part of the business the right way.
Rogers has since been claimed by the Chicago White Sox and now gets another shot in the second half, with a chance to battle for a playoff spot. Before Boston, he was with the Detroit Tigers, then the Orioles sent him to the Red Sox.
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Red Sox Suddenly Have One Huge Adley Rutschman Concern
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The offensive results have not come close to matching that track record, and the concern in Boston is less about one bad week than whether the slow start lingers long enough to matter. Rutschman has said he is focused on sticking with his process and not making drastic changes, which is the right approach on paper, but it also leaves the Red Sox waiting for the version of him they expected to get in the first place. [Read more 🡒]