Jake Rogers’ return to Comerica Park came with a strange twist: the former Tigers catcher was back in Detroit over the weekend, only this time he was wearing a White Sox uniform.
That made Saturday’s game against his old team feel a little different for the 3rd-round pick, who said afterward that the weekend brought a mix of good memories and awkward familiarity.
"It was awesome (to be back), it's good to win whether Detroit or wherever, but here it's bittersweet to get to Comerica and beat up on your buddies a little bit," Rogers said postgame to Brad Galli. "The atmosphere was good this weekend, and we got three from them but it was really bittersweet to coming back and seeing the guys and seeing the fans and how they embraced me. It was a very, very cool moment."
Rogers went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts in his only appearance of the weekend, which also marked the first time in his career that he played against the Tigers.
His stay in Chicago has already been shaped by injuries around the roster. The White Sox have been dealing with absences behind the plate, with both trade deadline addition Joey Bart and prospect Kyle Teel landing on the injured list.
But getting to Chicago was the result of a frantic stretch that sent Rogers bouncing all over the league. Detroit designated him for assignment in late July, then dealt him to the Orioles two days later. From there, he was moved again at the trade deadline in the big Adley Rutchman trade to Boston.
Rogers only lasted three games with the Red Sox, going three-for-six with two doubles, four runs scored, and two RBIs before Boston designated him for assignment after one week on the roster. Three days later, Chicago claimed him on waivers, and that brought him right back to Detroit soon after.
When asked if he could put the feeling of being on four different MLB teams in 21 days into words, Rogers didn’t try to dress it up.
"No," Rogers said. "I think it's gone by so fast I don't even know if it's hit me yet.
It's just been crazy; I think that's the only way to put it. I've even flown back home a couple of times after being DFA'd... it's been a wild ride and a lot of miles on Delta and Southwest."
For now, Rogers is with the White Sox, though another move could be coming once their catching group gets healthy again. And while he’s the opponent today, Tigers fans probably wouldn’t mind seeing him back in Detroit down the line.
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