DETROIT -- This is why the Tigers reworked Jake Rogers' swing on his way up the farm system,

As Detroit’s young catcher stepped to the plate in the second inning Monday for his first Comerica Park at-bat in the Tigers' 7-4 loss to the White Sox, he had acres of outfield in his sights. The all-or-nothing swing that he brought with him to the organization in the Justin Verlander trade was seen as a problem in waiting here, which is why the Tigers took their time with their top catching prospect, including a second stretch at Double-A Erie to begin the season. Once they saw progress with contact and line drives at the plate, they promoted Rogers to Triple-A Toledo a month into this season.

“I’m just trying to put together a good AB and see some pitches,” Rogers said. “I’m trying not to chase; that’s a big thing I’ve really worked on these past couple years, just swinging at stuff I can handle and barrel up.”

As Rogers faced White Sox breakout starter Lucas Giolito, he stayed calm in a 1-2 count, having fouled off a pair of fastballs in the upper half of the strike zone. Giolito tried to finish him off with a slider just below the knees, but Rogers connected for a simple line drive into left field. His first home hit as a Tiger opened Detroit’s scoring by plating Travis Demeritte, whose single to left on a 1-2 pitch two batters earlier started the two-out rally.

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It was just one run, but for the first at-bats at Comerica Park for Rogers and Demeritte, it was an encouraging sign. It was also a snapshot of the Tigers trying to stretch out some production in their lineup as they try to improve the Majors’ lowest-scoring offense in the wake of the Nicholas Castellanos trade.

“I know what’s in this clubhouse. I know they care,” Gardenhire said. “I know we’re going to get even younger here, probably this year. Stick with us. It’s going to turn around here, and when it does, it’s going to be a lot of fun.”

The Tigers were on the road when they traded Castellanos to the Cubs and acquired Demeritte from the Braves in the Shane Greene deal last week. When the team left town for their just-finished AL West trip a week and a half ago, Detroit fans knew Castellanos and Greene most likely wouldn’t be returning. Who would be coming back to town was the bigger question.

Demeritte, whose chance to fill Castellanos’ spot in right field marks his first big league stint, has shown a better plate approach than expected, considering the high strikeout totals he posted through his Minor League career. Though Giolito bounced back to strike him out twice on a changeup that accounted for 12 swings and misses from Tigers hitters Monday, Demeritte worked counts for long at-bats throughout the Tigers’ weekend series in Texas.

“Just trying to put myself into scoring position for the next guy up,” Demeritte said of his single Monday. "He was able to drive me in.”

Rogers was called up a week ago in the middle of the Tigers’ West Coast swing, an interesting decision in terms of timing. He posted three hits in two games in Anaheim, including his first big league home run, but went 0-for-8 with four strikeouts in his native Texas with family and friends on hand. He donned Detroit's timeless home jersey Monday night, wearing No. 34 as White Sox catcher James McCann, who wore the same number during his five-year Tigers tenure through last season, looked on.

Like Demeritte, Rogers struck out his next two times up against Giolito. He stepped to the plate leading off the ninth against White Sox closer Alex Colome and battled out of a 1-2 count for a walk, fouling off three fastballs in the zone while declining to chase any of the four pitches Colome buried off the outside corner. Jordy Mercer’s single and back-to-back ground balls from JaCoby Jones and Niko Goodrum brought Rogers in for the Tigers' fourth run of the game.

At-bats like these will help determine how Rogers figures into the Tigers' lineup, just as much as the home runs.

“He’s got some healthy hacks and he takes some swings,” Gardenhire said. “We know he’s going to strike out a little bit, and we know he’s going to hit some balls a long, long way. I’m more concerned about the defensive side. We want him looking around a little bit more, doing some things that are natural for a catcher, kind of being the quarterback. We want him to take over a little bit more.”

Toward that end, Rogers also had the task of catching fellow rookie Spencer Turnbull in his first start back from the injured list, a turbulent outing that included a 35-pitch first inning on his way to 76 pitches in three frames. Just four of the 15 White Sox batters to face Turnbull put the ball in play. Seven of Turnbull’s nine outs came via strikeout, but two walks and a hit batter haunted him in the first, as did a two-run bloop double that fell between Mercer and two outfielders in shallow center.

“He told us his ball was jumping all over the place,” Gardenhire said. “He was trying to center it down the middle, but it was cutting and it was sinking and it was diving all over the place. He was having a hard time getting it in the strike zone.”

Said Rogers: “He battled out there, did what he could with what he had. I think he’ll be happy with it. As far as stuff, it’s there.”

Candelario out with bruised left thumb

Zimmermann might have more company on the Tigers’ injured list. Jeimer Candelario had his left thumb heavily wrapped Monday after bruising it on a swing during an at-bat Sunday in Texas. X-rays were negative, Candelario said, but Gardenhire didn’t rule out a stint on the injured list.

“We’re going to check on him [Tuesday] morning and see what we have to do with him,” Gardenhire said. “He couldn’t swing at all with his thumb, so that could be something. [Triple-A] Toledo is right down the street, so we can bring people up if we possibly need it.”