Tigers' man behind the mask a driving force in the Motor City

DETROIT -- Tigers manager A.J. Hinch looked toward Jake Rogers before he led off the third inning and told him simply: “Get a hit.”

Rogers listened. Detroit's catcher led off the inning with a double down the left-field line and scored on a Matt Vierling sacrifice fly three batters later, reaching a sprint speed of 27.3 ft./sec. to score from third base. (He averages 27.1 ft./sec., 18th among MLB catchers.)

“I’ve said it all year: If Rog can do it in the nine-hole, anybody can,” Rogers said earlier this week.

Hinch, unfortunately, forgot to tell Rogers to get a hit the next time up, leading to a walk and a strikeout in his final two at-bats.

“Jake, I publicly apologize for being late to that coaching moment,” Hinch joked.

The one hit-and-run in the third inning was all that really mattered on Wednesday though, as the Tigers shut out the Guardians, 3-0, to take Game 3 of the American League Division Series. Rogers’ double extended his on-base streak to five games.

He became Detroit’s third backstop in franchise history to log a postseason on-base streak of five games or better, joining Alex Avila (12 games in 2012) and Mickey Cochrane (twice: six games in 1934 and five games in ’35).

Rogers’ impact on both sides of the ball is felt on this Tigers team. On top of his offensive presence this postseason, he is handling a young pitching staff through the biggest moments of their careers with the ease of a seasoned vet.

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“We're a very, very young team,” Rogers said. “Me being the old guy at 29 is definitely weird. It is different, but it is what it is. I think as a catcher on any team, it's easy for those guys to become leaders, because there are eight people looking at you every pitch. The guys that aren't playing are looking at you every pitch, so it's easy. That's why catchers always become managers and leaders. It's just kind of how the game's always been. It is weird, but I'm here for it.”

Rogers is one of the better defensive catchers in MLB this season, something that matters even more in October. His plus-9 framing runs ranks sixth among catchers, and his 51.1% called strikes on borderline pitches received is tied for second best. In the postseason, every inch and corner matters. Rogers has been stealing those strikes all season long.

But most of all, Rogers brings a calming presence to the pitching staff that has been at the forefront this postseason.

“[Rogers brings] a little bit of levity,” Hinch said. “This guy has a knack for keeping his calm at the biggest moments. He's a tremendous presence, and I don't use that word lightly, because it matters when you have it and [he has] that kind of influence on a lot of the boys around him."

Rogers was a prospect at the 2017 Trade Deadline when he was included in the package that sent Justin Verlander to Houston. Years have passed. Verlander won one World Series with the Astros that season and another in '22, signed with the Mets in free agency and was traded back to Houston. Rogers remains the last man standing from that monumental deal.

Now, Rogers is the elder statesman and aging veteran of this young, fun, energetic Tigers team. Under the radar, he’s maybe had the biggest impact on the club outside of Hinch and AL Cy Young favorite Tarik Skubal based on his leadership alone.

“He's a glue guy. He's as close with everybody on the team as anyone can be, and he's a great leader for our team, too,” Vierling said. “He's very consistent. When he's on the field, he's stoic, but when he's in the locker room, he's not. He's anything but that.

“It's just awesome to have him on our team. I feel like he's such a good guy, and he handles the pitching staff so well, and he's such a good leader for our young guys. He, more than anybody, really takes care of the leadership stuff. He's a huge part of that. Without him, I really don't think we are here right now.”