Red Sox DFA 31-Year-Old Catcher Before Blue Jays Game

The Boston Red Sox designated catcher Jake Rogers for assignment Tuesday, activating Adley Rutschman off the injured list barely a week after acquiring both players from Baltimore.

Rutschman, back after a wrist injury sidelined him since July 20, steps into the third spot in Boston’s lineup tonight in Toronto against the Blue Jays, pushing Rogers back onto waivers following a short but productive audition behind the plate.

A switch-hitting catcher, Rutschman arrives with All-Star pedigree, having earned the honor in three of the last four seasons while hitting .251 with eight home runs and 47 RBI in 67 games for Baltimore before the injury, according to stats from Major League Baseball. The club also transferred infielder Isiah Kiner-Falefa to the 60-day injured list to clear a separate spot on the 40-man roster.

Jake Rogers’ Brief Red Sox Run

Rogers arrived in Boston on August 3 as part of the six-player trade that brought Rutschman from the Orioles, with catcher Carlos Narváez, pitching prospects Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, and outfield prospect Enddy Azocar headed to Baltimore in return. Boston activated him the next day as insurance behind Connor Wong while Rutschman finished his rehab.

In three appearances with the Red Sox, Rogers hit safely in each start. He went 2-for-3 with two doubles, an RBI and three runs scored in a 13-1 rout of the Athletics on August 7, then followed with a 1-for-3 showing two days later, according to stats compiled by Baseball-Reference. Across his brief stay, Rogers batted .500 with a 1.389 OPS in nine plate appearances, numbers that made him a trade chip rather than a keeper once Rutschman was cleared to return.

From Detroit to Baltimore to Boston in Two Weeks

The 31-year-old backstop’s path to Boston ran through two organizations in a matter of days. Detroit designated Rogers for assignment on July 28, and the Orioles acquired him two days later before flipping him to the Red Sox as part of the Rutschman deal. Across three stops in 2026, Rogers batted .183 with three home runs and 11 RBI in 104 at-bats, extending a career line of .199 with 47 home runs and 140 RBI over parts of six big league seasons, all built on a defensive reputation dating to his 2019 debut with the Tigers.

A third-round pick by the Houston Astros out of Tulane in 2016, the Canyon, Texas, native has spent most of his career valued more for his glove and game-calling than his bat. He’s eligible for free agency after the season.

Boston’s front office waited until roughly 40 minutes before first pitch to make Tuesday’s move official. Beat writers Chris Cotillo, Tim Healey and Bill Koch had reported earlier in the afternoon that the club was still finalizing a corresponding move for Rutschman’s return, with the All-Star’s spot in the batting order already confirmed.

Connor Wong, who had handled the bulk of the catching load as the Red Sox waited for Rutschman, now slides back into a backup role behind the plate as Boston settles its catching depth chart for the stretch run. The corresponding 60-day move for Kiner-Falefa signals the Red Sox don’t expect the infielder back before rosters expand in September.

Rogers is now on waivers. If he clears, Boston can outright him to the minors or he can elect free agency given his service time.

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