https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qCBEjE67-Eo
For Tyler Rogers, it wasn’t just a call he had waited 28 years to receive.
There also was a call he waited three years to make.
His phone rang Tuesday, informing him his next appearance would not be his 343rd in the minor leagues. Stewing since being a 10th-round pick in 2013, Rogers finally would be a major leaguer.
He didn’t put down his phone. He dialed the number of his twin brother, Twins reliever Taylor Rogers.
“When he got called up [in 2016], I was his first call,” Tyler said before the Giants played the Diamondbacks at Oracle Park. “So I always told myself when I get called up, I’d make sure he was my first call.”
It took a long time for that call to be made. Rogers has seen time with Sacramento every year since 2016 but, even when rosters expanded, he would get passed over. He said he hadn’t gotten to the point where he was wondering if the call would ever come.
“You always have that glimmer of hope in September in Triple-A,” said Rogers, the corresponding move to Trevor Gott’s IL trip. “It just didn’t work out the last couple of years. I’m just happy I’m here now.”
He’s not alone. The Giants had not given him his chance yet, but he had his supporters within the organization. His funky, almost underhand delivery can be very tough on righties, and he put the time in.
“This is well-deserved,” Bruce Bochy said. “Not just this year, but even last year, he just keeps going out there and getting it done. … This is going to be big for him. His twin’s in the big leagues. Sometimes these guys can get overlooked because they don’t throw 95 [mph]. But he knows how to pitch and gets out.”
He has this season despite Triple-A using the major league ball, which, in the Pacific Coast League, is akin to legalizing steroids for hitters. Rogers had a 4.21 ERA in 62 innings with 55 strikeouts.
Bochy signaled he’ll be used more so for specific matchups; righties were slashing .241/.322/.392 against him this season.
“I am curious to see how [my delivery] works at the highest level in baseball,” Rogers said. “Hopefully it’s deceptive enough and works out.”
His parents will be on hand to find out, if Bochy turns to him Tuesday. They’ve been through this parenting roller-coaster once before.
“They watch a lot of baseball,” Rogers said.
