Detroit Tigers Veteran Catcher 'Fumbled' This Year's Home Run Celebration
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The Detroit Tigers returned home for their first set of the year after travelling out west to face the Los Angeles Dodgers before going north up the coast to play the Seattle Mariners.
It wasn't the start to the season that many expected.
Despite having opportunities to win against the Dodgers, they were swept in their three-game set. They won the first two against the Mariners to secure their first series win of 2025, but dropped the final matchup to keep them under .500.
In their return to Comerica Park, the Tigers gave the fans something the cheer about.
While the ball wasn't flying over the fence on the road, they changed that up with a power display by multiple young stars on the team that should have everyone in Detroit excited about what's to come this summer.
However, something was notably missing.
The home run celebration.
After having a hockey-themed celebration in 2023 by putting on a Detroit Red Wings helmet and simulating a slapshot with a hockey stick, they changed to a Little Caesar's homage last year by having a prop spear with a pizza on top.
Spencer Torkelson came up with both of those, but with it seeming like he wouldn't be on the Opening Day roster this season, the creative baton was apparently passed to veteran catcher Jake Rogers.
A baton he has fumbled according to Torkelson.
"That was [Jake] Rogers' job this year," he said, per Jason Beck of MLB.com. "He kind of fumbled that ... I pass the baton and look what happens."
Rogers was under the microscope early.
The Tigers hit three homers in their first series before hitting three more against Seattle.
But not having a home run celebration by the time the team returned back to Detroit has proven to be a major mistake, especially since the team hit five long balls in two games that propelled them to a series win over the Chicago White Sox.
Detroit is brainstorming ideas, and something could be coming soon.
"There's been some talk around doing basketball with a little hoop and a ball, but we haven't figured out the logistics. Do we want to dunk it? Shoot the three? Trying to figure something out," Rogers said.
Whatever they decide will be something that will be played throughout the season, because if these are the type of power numbers they put up when the weather gets nice, then the Tigers are going to be doing their new celebration a lot.
