On Friday, the Chicago White Sox claimed catcher Jake Rogers off waivers from the Boston Red Sox and designated left-hander Joe Rock for assignment.
It’s no secret the White Sox’s catching situation has been one of the worst in baseball, with Kyle Teel spending much of the season on the injured list. Drew Romo has been abysmal at the plate, posting a .508 OPS with a 25% strikeout rate, while Edgar Quero owns a .541 OPS and has graded as one of the worst defensive catchers in baseball.
That’s one reason general manager Chris Getz added Joey Bart from the Atlanta Braves at the trade deadline. But that plan went belly up after just three games, when Bart fractured his left hand after being hit by a 98 fastball, once again leaving the White Sox searching for answers behind the plate.
Now, Getz is once again searching for answers to stabilize the catching position until Teel returns, with the Detroit Tigers breathing down the White Sox’s neck in the AL Central race. The timing of Rogers’ waiver claim is particularly notable, with the White Sox set to open a three-game series in Detroit.
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While Rogers doesn’t represent much of an offensive upgrade over Drew Romo or Edgar Quero, his familiarity with the Tigers could provide the White Sox with valuable scouting insight heading into the series. He knows how the Tigers’ pitching staff is likely to attack White Sox hitters and has a strong understanding of what Detroit’s batters can expect when they step into the box.
Rogers spent six seasons in Detroit and appeared in 34 games for the Tigers to begin the season. However, after the emergence of Dillon Dingler, Rogers was jettisoned from the roster as Detroit opted to keep Eduardo Valencia as its backup catcher.
After being claimed off waivers from the Orioles, Rogers was later traded to the Boston Red Sox in a blockbuster deal centered around Adley Rutschman. He appeared in just three games for Boston before being designated for assignment once again when Rutschman returned from the injured list.
Rogers owns a career .199/.272/.381 slash line with a 31% strikeout rate, so he doesn’t offer much offensively. However, he could still provide a valuable boost to the White Sox pitching staff.
Rogers has made his living with his defense. In more than 2,800 innings behind the plate, he has accumulated 12 Defensive Runs Saved and a 10 Fielding Run Value, while FanGraphs has also graded him as an above-average pitch framer. That defensive prowess could make him a valuable addition to a White Sox pitching staff that has relied heavily on its catchers to guide a young rotation.
The question now is how long the White Sox will carry three catchers. Teel’s rehab is progressing well, and he could be ready to return by early September. The obvious DFA candidate would appear to be Romo, but the White Sox have already made it clear they trust him behind the plate more than Quero, despite Romo’s limited offensive production during the last two roster crunches. Quero, however, has started to show signs of life at the plate, collecting seven hits over his last five games.
Rogers could also be in line for another short stint in Chicago if the White Sox’s primary motivation for claiming him was to capitalize on his familiarity with the Tigers during their upcoming series. The 31-year-old is earning $3.05 million this season and is still owed roughly $717,000 over the remainder of the year.
