The Boston Red Sox designated catcher Jake Rogers for assignment on Tuesday, a move that comes just nine days after he was acquired in a trade deadline deal involving Adley Rutschman. Rogers had been with the team for two weeks.
The Red Sox obtained Rutschman, Rogers, and cash considerations from the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for pitchers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, outfielder Enddy Azocar, and catcher Carlos Narváez. Rutschman was activated from the injured list on Tuesday following a wrist injury sustained while with the Orioles. He made his Red Sox debut in a 5-3 loss to the Toronto Blue Jays, going 1-for-3 with two walks.
During his brief stint in Boston, Rogers appeared in games batting 3-for-6 with two doubles. He is recognized as a strong defensive catcher with limited offensive capabilities. Rogers, 31, is still owed approximately $765,000 on his current contract this season, which totals $3.05 million. The Red Sox will likely hope he is claimed off waivers to alleviate their salary obligation.
With Rutschman now healthy and back on the roster, and with Conner Wong also on the team, Boston no longer needs to carry three catchers. Rogers was previously designated for assignment by the Detroit Tigers in July before the Orioles acquired him. It is possible the Orioles could opt to reclaim Rogers, or that other catcher-needy teams, such as the New York Yankees, might consider him after failing to acquire a catcher at the deadline. The Yankees have signed Mitch Garver to a minor league deal.
The Red Sox have seen a significant surge in the standings, climbing to the second wild-card spot behind the Yankees, propelled by a 28-3 stretch. However, the team has recently lost four consecutive games to the Oakland Athletics and the Blue Jays, amidst a tight American League wild card race. Boston currently holds a 64-55 record, nine games behind the division-leading Tampa Bay Rays and three games behind the Yankees.