Javier Báez has returned to Detroit.
The Detroit Tigers activated Báez from the 60-day injured list on Tuesday, July 28, before the second game against the Baltimore Orioles. Báez has been out of the lineup since April 28 with a right ankle injury.
Báez was originally placed on the 10-day injured list with his ankle sprain but was moved to the 60-day IL in early June. Since he is returning from the 60-day, the Tigers had to designate catcher Jake Rogers for assignment to create a spot on the 26-man and 40-man rosters.
Rogers, 31, was DFA’d to better maximize the backup catcher spot on the roster, according to Tigers manager A.J. Hinch. On Monday, the Tigers recalled catcher Eduardo Valencia from Triple-A Toledo to take the roster spot of Kerry Carpenter, who hit the 10-day IL with left foot plantar fasciitis.
“We are activating Javy,” Hinch said. “He is going to play center field [Tuesday]. In order to do that, we cleared a spot. We’ve designated for assignment Jake Rogers, which will open up a 40-man spot and the 26-man spot. That’s tough. You know I love Jake.”
Rogers has appeared in 34 games in 2026, with his role decreasing due to starting catcher Dillon Dingler’s All-Star emergence. Rogers hit .161 with three home runs and nine RBIs across 110 plate appearances.
He has been a part of the Tigers organization since he was part of the return package in the 2017 Justin Verlander trade to Houston. Rogers played six seasons in Detroit, making the most appearances in 2023 and 2024 as the team’s starting catcher. Over the last two years, Dingler has supplanted him.
“Jake would admit it himself, it hasn’t been an easy road for him performance-wise, and we needed to make a call,” Hinch said.
Báez returns after nearly three months away from the team. With Kevin McGonigle locked in as the primary shortstop option, Báez will be in the center field mix along with James Outman and Matt Vierling. His defensive versatility will help the Tigers move players around late in games.
“Center field is a little bit more of the decision point,” Hinch said. “Javy, Outman, Vierling, even [Zach] McKinstry. As those things change, whether that is today or maybe a matchup with a pitcher, you can see any number of configurations with that.”
The Tigers will be aggressive in deploying Báez thanks to two built-in off days on the schedule over the next week and the desperation of sitting with a 50-57 record.
Báez only appeared in 24 games before he went to the injured list, hitting .256 with two home runs and six RBIs. He started his rehab assignment with Low-A Lakeland before moving to Triple-A Toledo, where he started two games. Báez split his two Toledo games between shortstop and center field, going 5-for-8 from the plate.
“We are trying to be aggressive because of the urgency of what is at stake,” Hinch said. “We have two games then an off day. Then we have three games and we have an off day, and the schedule goes on. I’ll have to be aware of that in general.”
On top of being an expected boost on the field, Báez also lifted the clubhouse.
“When he walked in the room yesterday, the whole room lit up,” Hinch said.
Contact Jared Ramsey at jramsey@freepress.com.
This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Javier Báez is back for Tigers, but catcher Jake Rogers gets cut
Reporting by Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press / Detroit Free Press
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By Jared Ramsey, Detroit Free Press | USA TODAY Network
