Tigers' corresponding roster move for Javy Baéz return is an absolute stunner

AJ Hinch told MLB Network Radio on Tuesday morning that Javy Báez was expected to come off of the IL for the Tigers' second game against the Orioles. Against all odds, it was expected to be a warm homecoming. No one can say that Báez doesn't add a little more excitement and life to this roster when he's at his best.

The clearest corresponding move was to designate James Outman for assignment, who is quite literally one of the worst hitters in baseball this year. Eduardo Valencia and Ben Malgeri were viable options, too.

The Tigers didn't end up going any of those routes. Instead, they DFA'ed longtime backup catcher and fan favorite Jake Rogers.

To say this is shocking is an understatement. Rogers has never been a prolific hitter (excepting that one 21-homer season) and is certainly not one this year (.161 average, .567 OPS), but Tigers fans have known him as a clubhouse leader since 2019. He was so instrumental to Tarik Skubal's success in his 2024 Cy Young campaign that Skubal shouted him out during his BBWAA gala acceptance speech and gifted him a watch.

From a clubhouse morale standpoint, from a performance standpoint, there were far, far better options to cut than Rogers.

Tigers shockingly DFA Jake Rogers to make room for Javy Báez coming off the IL

This immediately thrusts Valencia, who came up on Monday when Kerry Carpenter was shuffled to the IL, into the backup catcher role. The Tigers like Valencia — enough that they cared to save him from the Rule 5 draft this offseason — and on a purely unemotional level, clearing Rogers to give the younger player some room to grow makes sense.

But it's hard not to be emotional about these things. Rogers has been with the team since its second-worst season in franchise history to its meteoric ascent in 2024. Pitching chaos would not have functioned the way that it did without Rogers behind the plate to anchor things.

This is going to take all of us a second to come to terms with, even if it might be the best thing for the Tigers' performance down the line. Dillon Dingler's All-Star season and Valencia's rise to top prospect status means that Rogers was the odd man out.

That's just baseball, but everyone is going to miss Rog (and everyone is going to be far more angry at Outman).

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