DETROIT – In the ninth inning Monday, Detroit Tigers catcher Jake Rogers turned to his manager.

“Will you strike for me?” he asked.

“No, it’s your attack,” AJ Hinch said.

“Sweet,” Rogers replied, according to Hinch. “It’s (Emmanuel) Clase. Thanks.”

Don’t mistake the comment for a lack of confidence. Don’t look at the weird mustache or assume that Rogers is as one-dimensional as the character he sometimes plays. The one-liners, the funny walk and the self-deprecation are real. The coyote fur hat hanging in his locker is just a prop. Rogers is easygoing and hilarious, sure. He is also an integral part of the Tigers’ competitive engine. For proof, just look at what happened when he faced Clase with two outs. He took a first-pitch cutter from the game’s most dominant closer.

“That was bad,” he said to himself. The next pitch was another cutter that ran across the plate. Rogers smashed a low liner that whizzed past Cleveland shortstop Brayan Rocchio at 101 mph. Rogers’ hit led to a single from Trey Sweeney, which led to Kerry Carpenter’s definitive three-run blast.

After the drama and emotions, Rogers broke down again after the game. “If Rog can do it, anyone can do it,” he has said repeatedly this year.

“I hope this lit a little fire under their butts,” Rogers said.

Rogers only hit .197 in the regular season, but his batting average shouldn’t take away from the importance he meant to this team and this city. He was the player who first uttered the rallying cry: “Don’t let the Tigers get hot.” ​​This came in a postgame interview in July. By September, fans had the mantra on signs. In October, Hinch recalled the line at a champagne celebration in Houston.

Rogers was once drafted by the Astros. His labels have since traveled across the spectrum.

The best defensive catcher in the minors.

A hitter who wouldn’t make it in the big leagues.

Tommy John surgery, then 21 home runs, the last vestige of the Justin Verlander trade.

Over the past few seasons, Rogers has worked tirelessly. He reworked his catching setup. He simplified his swing mechanics. The foolish image too often obscures the drive that drove its long development. Now, in his age-29 season, Rogers has realized himself as a major league player. The bat is what it is, low average with occasional bursts of power. Rogers has also developed into an absolute defensive catcher. His 13 defensive runs saved ranked third among all MLB backstops. Statcast ranks him as a top five pitch framer. He threw out 25 percent of would-be base stealers, a big improvement from last season and a mark above league average. His skills are best displayed when he is able to jump out from behind the plate and make an athletic play, as he did in the late innings against the Houston Astros in Game 1 of the Wild Card Series when he was on A well-placed ball from Jeremy Peña fell and the first.

Rogers served as Tarik Skubal’s personal catcher during a Triple Crown season. The two have a friendship that extends to the alternative training location in 2020. After brilliant starts, Skubal is often asked about specific pitch sequences. He usually shrugs his shoulders and says something like, “That’s a question for Rog.” Rogers serves as both Skubal’s wise guide and guru, assisting with Skubal’s ritual start-of-day crossword puzzles.

“He brings out the best in me personally,” Skubal said last month. “I think he brings out the best in all of our guys. I think that’s the biggest compliment I can give him. I trust him completely.”

Catching an ace is one thing. Rogers also served as the stablemaster behind the pitching chaos in Detroit, managing new faces and an array of arsenals with a trustworthy touch. Pitchers praise Rogers for his prepared game plans and open dialogue. When a pitcher wobbles, Rogers is always open. There is usually a follow-up discussion afterwards in which the decision is clarified and ideas are exchanged.

“He’s incredibly good at reading the game, seeing what hitters have done early on and also matching that with your strengths,” right-hander Will Vest said.

Jake Rogers and Will Vest celebrate after defeating the Astros in the Wild Card Series. (Thomas Shea/Imagn Images)

As good as he has become behind the plate, Rogers’ greatest value is still inherent. For all of Riley Greene’s enthusiasm and Matt Vierling’s steady leadership, Rogers may be the most important player behind the scenes for the Tigers.

“He’s a glue guy,” Vierling said. “When he’s on the pitch he’s stoic but when he’s in the dressing room he’s not – anything but that.

“Without him, I really don’t think we would be here right now.”

With Rogers now set to play in October, his importance is more evident than ever. He guides pitchers and deceives batters with his style of play. He has shown more of that calm presence on the field and happy personality off it. To be clear: Rogers is capable of sensing tension. Before games, pitching coach Juan Nieves often asks Rogers if he is nervous.

“Yes,” Rogers always says.

“Okay, good,” Nieves replies.

But if a young team ever needed someone to help calm nerves, Rogers was the man. “I think the best thing about Rog,” Vest said, “is just his ability to keep things light.”

This comprehensive package has resulted in a new label: A Cult Hero in Detroit. Teammates love him for his openness. Fans appreciate him for his personality and of course his mustache. At times this season, Rogers worked with a well-groomed beard. After slumping badly, he shaved his beard before the Tigers’ game on August 13 and wore the mustache again. Rogers drove in seven runs that night. The Tigers have a 34-14 record since then.

Hinch shook his head once at the eccentric look. But even the clear manager prevailed. He now says he has learned to love “pain.” He is not alone in Detroit.

“One win,” Hinch said the day after the Tigers secured their postseason berth, “changes everything.”

(Top photo by Jake Rogers: Thomas Shea / Imagn Images)