Latest news with #JakeRogers
Yahoo
31-07-2025
- Sport
- Yahoo
Tigers' Jake Rogers picks off Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with unbelievable throw
The post Tigers' Jake Rogers picks off Vladimir Guerrero Jr. with unbelievable throw appeared first on ClutchPoints. The Detroit Tigers saw Tarik Skubal return to the mound on Saturday after spending three days on the paternity list. The Skubal family remains on baby watch as he attempts to get his Tigers a win over Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and the Toronto Blue Jays. Detroit's ace is usually a highlight machine, but on Saturday, it was battery mate Jake Rogers who amazed fans. Skubal found himself in a bit of a jam in the fourth inning. Toronto had runners on second and third with one out. Tyler Heineman went to put down a bunt, but held it back. Rogers immediately sprang up and threw down to Zach McKinstry at third. The throw went over Heineman, but McKinstry was able to tag out Guerrero at the hot corner. The Tigers were able to get out of the fourth inning without allowing a run. Detroit and Toronto currently remain scoreless, but the Blue Jays threatened with the bases loaded in the sixth. However, Skubal was able to get out of this without allowing a run, as well. Tigers looking to salvage disastrous Blue Jays series Detroit has played like one of the best teams in baseball for most of the 2025 season. However, they are free-falling in a brutal way. The Tigers have lost 11 of their last 12 games. Detroit's lone win in this span is a 2-1 win over the Texas Rangers on July 20. Skubal started that contest, going 6.2 innings and striking out 11. This series against the Blue Jays has especially been rough. Detroit has recorded the first run in each of the first two games. However, Toronto dominated the rest of the way. The Blue Jays won the first two games by scores of 11-1 and 6-2, respectively. The Tigers need to get back in the win column in the worst way possible. They have a comfortable division lead still. And they should add pieces to upgrade their roster at the trade deadline. Still, Saturday night's game feels like a must-win for this Tigers team. Related: Why Tigers must be aggressive at 2025 MLB Trade Deadline Related: Tigers' Tarik Skubal still on baby watch during Blue Jays start
Fox Sports
25-07-2025
- Sport
- Fox Sports
Last Night in Baseball: Blue Jays Dominate Tigers, Stand Alone Atop AL
There is always baseball happening — almost too much baseball for one person to handle themselves. That's why we're here to help, though, by sifting through the previous days' games, and figuring out what you missed, but shouldn't have. Here are all the best moments from last night in Major League Baseball: Blue Jays stand alone atop AL There were just five MLB games played on Thursday, so this edition of Last Night in Baseball is going to be a little heavy on the first matchup of the four-game Blue Jays-Tigers series. But with good reason: it was full of highlights in addition to its inherent weight as a bout between a team tied for the best record in the American League, and the club they passed to get there on Wednesday. The Tigers struck first, with Jahmai Jones hitting a solo home run in the bottom of the first inning — that lead would hold until the sixth. Then, it was the Blue Jays' turn. Detroit's starter Reese Olson had been cruising to that point, with three strikeouts and zero walks in five innings of shutout work — he didn't allow a hit until the third, and through the first five gave up three harmless singles total. Reese fell apart in the sixth, however, allowing five runs and failing to escape the frame, and the seventh didn't go much better, with Toronto adding another four runs against reliever Dietrich Enns. The Jays wouldn't end up needing another two runs in the eighth, but they got them, anyway. The Tigers fought back with three in the ninth after a shutout inning of relief by their backup catcher, Jake Rogers — the only reliever to avoid giving up a run in the game — but it wasn't nearly enough. Toronto won, 11-4, and improved to 61-42 on the year, while the Tigers fell to 60-44. They've lost four in a row since becoming the first team to 60 wins, and are 1-9 in their last 10, as opposed to Toronto's 15-4 July — the Jays are also 46-22 since May 9, and now have their largest lead in the AL East of the season. Thanks to an Astros loss, Toronto also snapped a tie for the best record in the AL. It now belongs to them alone, and if they win this series against Detroit, then they can potentially extend both of those leads further. Knuckleball alert! When Jake Rogers — who again, is the Tigers' backup catcher — took the mound against the Blue Jays in the ninth because the game was already out of hand by then, we got a little bit of what used to make position players pitching so appealing, before rules had to be put into place to stop the incessant usage of them. Rogers, freed from any expectations of doing anything besides saving the bullpen an inning of work — and looking like he had borrowed Todd Jones' entire mustachioed shtick — threw knuckleballs. And they worked. They worked! Rogers retired his first two batters, then gave up a couple of singles before ending the threat. Baseball must have some room for a different kind of two-way player who isn't elite, but is still useful, no? A backup catcher who is also a member of the team's bullpen, but for real, because he can throw a knuckleball? Think about it, Jake, the people need the knuckler back in their lives, and you can provide that for them. The best kind of home run The Blue Jays also provided us with the superior form of the home run. Sure, an inside-the-park home run has a certain special quality to it, and no one will deny how exhilarating it is to watch a grand slam clear those bases in one swing. However: the best homer is the one that feels like it is a matter of personal pride. It's the home run that follows an intentional walk. Oh, you would prefer to face me, rather than this other batter? You feel I am less of a threat, that I present a more advantageous matchup? Eat dinger. In this case, it was the Tigers intentionally walking Addison Barger with Vladimir Guerrero Jr. on third base with two outs, and right-hander Reese Olson still on the mound. The lefty Barger is a far better hitter in his career against righties — a .776 OPS against just .559 vs. southpaws — while Ernie Clement is a lefty masher who slugs higher against left-handed pitching (.605) than his OPS against righties (.564). And yet! And yet: A three-run homer of vengeance and spite that put the Jays up 4-1, and signaled the beginning of the end of Detroit's chances in this game. Mariners' dinger dominance The Mariners were all about the long ball on Thursday. For one, they traded for Diamondbacks' first baseman Josh Naylor, who hit 31 homers in 2024 and has 11 so far in 2025. And second… and third and fourth… they scored four runs to defeat the Angels in Los Angeles, with all four of them coming by way of the homer. First up was Julio Rodriguez, who went yard in the top of the fifth to tie the score up, 1-1. Then Randy Arozarena put the M's up for good with a two-run shot later in the same inning, scoring Cal Raleigh — who, despite leading the majors in homers, was not one of the Mariners to go yard on Thursday. That was Arozarena's 19th home run of the season, four shy of his career high, and also his ninth of July. Last up was Jorge Polanco, whose insurance solo shot came in the top of the eighth to give the game its final score of 4-2. The Mariners, like the Jays, benefited from the Astros losing, as they moved to five games back of them in the AL West. They also gained half-a-game in the wild card standings for the second spot, as none of the teams chasing right behind them were active on Thursday. Miller hits 103 When Mason Miller gets a strikeout because he threw 103 mph, you simply have to notice. Oh hey look at what the Athletics' closer did on Thursday against the Astros. Christian Walker's reaction tells you all you need to know about what 103 mph looks like coming in, especially up-and-in like that pitch was. The average four-seam fastball from Miller is an MLB-best 101.1 mph, per Savant . He's the only pitcher over 101, and the two others over 100 — Jhoan Duran and Seth Halvorsen — barely clear that mark, at 100.3 and 100.1, respectively. One-hundred and three miles per hour. That's an arm. Don't run on Cortes The A's were able to show off in other ways on Thursday night. Specifically, Carlos Cortes was able to show off his own arm. In the bottom of the third, the right fielder scooped up a hard line drive from Taylor Trammell after it had bounced around in the corner, turned, and fired a rocket to second base that beat Trammell there. Trammell laid on the ground for a while longer in disbelief — you can see the surprise in his body language as the ball goes by him and a tag is applied during the slide — and it's not hard to see why. What a throw. Want great stories delivered right to your inbox? Create or log in to your FOX Sports account, follow leagues, teams and players to receive a personalized newsletter daily ! FOLLOW Follow your favorites to personalize your FOX Sports experience Toronto Blue Jays Detroit Tigers Major League Baseball recommended Item 1 of 3 Get more from the Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more
Reuters
13-07-2025
- Sport
- Reuters
Tigers limping to break as they host Mariners in first-half finale
July 13 - The Detroit Tigers will head into the All-Star break with the best record in the majors, but they're stumbling toward the layoff. The Tigers have lost three straight, including two at home to the Seattle Mariners. They'll play their final game prior to the festivities on Sunday afternoon, looking to salvage the finale of a three-game series against the Mariners. Detroit's 7-3 loss to Tampa Bay on Wednesday snapped a five-game winning streak. The Tigers lost to the Mariners on Friday and Saturday -- 12-3 and 15-7, respectively -- even though All-Stars Tarik Skubal and Casey Mize started those contests. "We're in a tough situation right now," catcher Jake Rogers said. "We're not playing like we have, but we've got to keep going. We're in a little bit of a lull right now. It happens in baseball. We've got one more game before the break, then I hope we come back after (it) energized." In Saturday's game, the Mariners racked up 19 hits and scored in all but two innings. "Just pick up the pieces and get to tomorrow," Tigers manager A.J. Hinch said. "Clearly these are some ugly losses and uncharacteristic of our pitching to put us in such deep holes. We'll come back tomorrow and try to be better." Seattle had four players with at least three hits in Saturday's onslaught. Julio Rodriguez homered for the second straight game, while Luke Raley and Randy Arozarena also went deep. "We got huge lifts kind of all the way through the game," manager Dan Wilson said. "Just a great effort all around from those at-bats." Oddly, Cal Raleigh was the only player in the starting lineup who didn't get a hit. Raleigh smacked two homers on Friday to reach 38 for the season. He needs one more long ball on Sunday to tie Barry Bonds for the most homers prior to the All-Star break. Logan Gilbert (2-3, 3.88 ERA), who will start the series finale for Seattle, hasn't lasted more than 5 2/3 innings in his last 10 starts. He has given up four or more earned runs in three of his last four starts, including his most recent outing against the New York Yankees on Tuesday, when he allowed five runs (all earned) on six hits in 5 1/3 innings. The Yankees scored four of those runs in their 10-3 victory in the sixth inning, including a three-run blast from Giancarlo Stanton. "It was a tough one (Tuesday). The Yankees (hit) several homers and it broke the game open," Wilson said. "I thought Logan threw the ball well early on. He was pretty dominant. They were able to get him there with (the) Stanton (homer)." Gilbert is 1-2 with a 4.19 ERA in four career starts against Detroit. He'll be opposed by Jack Flaherty. In his last outing on Tuesday, Flaherty (5-9, 4.70 ERA) held Tampa Bay to two runs in 6 1/3 innings while recording eight strikeouts. That was the fewest runs he had allowed since June 8. "It was a good day," Flaherty said. "(Catcher Dillon Dingler) called a really good game and the guys made some big plays." Flaherty is 2-0 with a 4.41 ERA in three career starts against the Mariners. --Field Level Media
New York Times
06-07-2025
- Sport
- New York Times
This is the Casey Mize the Detroit Tigers have been waiting to see
CLEVELAND — Jake Rogers has caught Casey Mize since 2019. He was there when Mize arrived at his first spring training as the toast of town. He was behind the plate when Mize fired a 98-pitch no-hitter in his Double-A debut. They were together at the alternate training site in 2020. By 2022, they were together rehabbing Tommy John surgery in the shadows. Advertisement 'I've seen Casey evolve,' Rogers said. 'I really have. … We've yelled at each other, and we've been best of friends for a long time.' Saturday night in Cleveland, Rogers was again behind the plate as Mize threw arguably his finest outing of 2025. The start in itself was brilliant. Seven scoreless innings, spot-on fastball command and 11 groundball outs. The performance also highlighted Mize's growth. It was only the second time in his career that he had pitched seven scoreless. It was the sixth consecutive start in which Mize has surrendered two earned runs or fewer. 'It's really fun when you have a guy that's filling the zone up nonstop, and Casey's done it,' Rogers said. Here in July, Mize has a 2.63 ERA. It took ups and downs, injuries and setbacks, growth and pain. Finally, Mize is looking like the pitcher he was drafted to be, a consistent and efficient artist with a sweet combination of power and polish. 'I went in this offseason just searching for ways to get better,' Mize said. 'We came up with a plan, and I'm still executing in July. I'm still figuring some things out. It's not a finished product, but to see that plan working and being able to aggressively pursue that feels good. Instead of always searching in between starts, it just feels like, 'OK, we got it, keep it running with it.'' The @Tigers shut out the Guardians and improve to 11-4 when Casey Mize starts 😤 — MLB (@MLB) July 6, 2025 This is perhaps the first time in Mize's career he's truly felt that way. He showed hints of promise in 2021 when he had a 3.71 ERA. Then injuries set him back. There was the Tommy John surgery and a back procedure. Last year, he dealt with a hamstring issue and was left off the Tigers' ALDS roster. Over the offseason, he sought out new ideas. He visited Driveline in Tampa and Maven Baseball in Atlanta. He arrived at spring training with altered variations of his slider and a renewed commitment to his signature splitter. Advertisement That was always part of the conundrum — when he was drafted first overall in 2018, Mize was hailed for his lethal splitter and his impeccable fastball command. But for most of his big-league career, the splitter was inconsistent at best. That fastball command could be spotty. Mize battled his body, tinkered with mechanical cues and searched for other ways to go from fringe starter to frontline workhorse. Not until recently has it all clicked. 'It means a lot to him and it means a lot to us,' Hinch said. 'It's a good lesson for all of us to hang in there with the right talented guys. He put in the work. We've got a long ways to go, but he can feel really good about where he's at right now because of the work he's done and the quality that's coming with it. He is a big part of the rotation on a good team and answering the bell every five or six days incredibly well.' Saturday against the Guardians, Mize's fastball command was sharp as ever. He dotted his four-seam up and in and down and away. Although Cleveland hitters whiffed on only one Mize splitter, they largely fouled the pitch off or beat it into the ground. Mize otherwise pumped his fastball to stay in advantageous counts. The Guardians registered only four hits, and on a night where the Tigers' bullpen was shorthanded, Mize's pitch count crossed 100 for the first time since 2021. His 102 pitches finished one short of his career high. He allowed a double to Bryan Rocchio in the seventh and intentionally walked José Ramírez, but got Carlos Santana to fly out to end the inning. 'There, in the seventh, you feel like you need to buckle down and be — not perfect — but be executing really well,' Mize said. 'I kind of like those situations, to be honest.' After clutch relief from Brant Hurter and Tommy Kahnle — and thanks to a solo home run from Spencer Torkleson, himself a No. 1 draft pick and tremendous comeback story — the Tigers won 1-0 to improve Mize's record this season to 9-2. Advertisement 'He's been incredible,' Hinch said. 'Tonight was not only a well-pitched game, but it was when we needed it most. We've used our pen a lot. Had multiple guys down. The responsibility falls on the starter, and Casey stepped up and gave us everything.' To continue his ascent, Mize can still improve. His 7.67 K/9 does not measure up to the game's elite. Models like Stuff+ are lukewarm on his overall arsenal. Mize, though, is commanding the ball better than ever before, posting career highs in strike percentage and thriving with a career-best 69.7 first-pitch strike rate. His whiff and chase rates are slightly up, and he has the overall look and feel of a pitcher in control of the game. Given who he is and where he's been, all that matters. This is a pitcher who knows success and struggle, who understands the perils of hype and expectations. Along the way, Mize has always been his own biggest critic. He's fought his perfectionist nature, learned to give himself grace and never stopped chasing new frontiers of knowledge and improvement. More than halfway through the season on the best team in the American League, here he is, the version of Casey Mize we've been waiting for. 'He's been an all-around great pitcher for us this year,' Rogers said, 'and I hope he just keeps doing what he's doing, because it's great.'
Associated Press
02-07-2025
- Sport
- Associated Press
Riley Greene homers twice as Tigers rout Nationals 11-2 in doubleheader opener
WASHINGTON (AP) — Riley Greene hit a pair of three-run homers and matched a career high with six RBIs, leading the Detroit Tigers over the Washington Nationals 11-2 in the first game of a day-night doubleheader Wednesday. Jake Rogers and Spencer Torkelson also homered while Zach McKinstry had four hits for Detroit, which has won three in a row and six of eight. The Tigers at 54-32 moved 22 games over .500 for the first time since finishing 2013 at 93-69. Alex Call had three hits for Washington, which has not won consecutive games since May 28-31 and has lost nine of its last 10 at home. Trevor Williams (3-10) allowed three-run homers in the first to Greene' on a full-count sweeper and to Rogers on a fastball, Rogers' first home run this season. Williams received sarcastic applause when he got his third out on his 54th pitch. He allowed seven runs in three innings. Greene padded Detroit's lead in the fourth. After Gleyber Torres walked and Wenceel Pérez singled against Jackson Rutledge, Greene hit his 21st for a 10-0 lead. Greene had his seventh multi-homer game, his fourth this season and second in 10 games. Torkelson led off the sixth with his 18th homer. Opener Tyler Holton struck out three in two scoreless innings for Detroit. Rookie Dylan Smith (1-0) pitched 3 1/3 shutout innings for his first big league victory. Key moment Greene's three-run homer four batters in. Key stat Detroit improved to 4-0 in doubleheaders openers this season. Up next Detroit RHP Jack Flaherty (5-9, 4.80 ERA) was to face Washington LHP MacKenzie Gore (3-8, 3.09) in the night game. ___ AP MLB:
