Detroit Tigers have legit catching duo in Carson Kelly, Jake Rogers. Here's what stands out

NEW YORK — Detroit Tigers catcher Carson Kelly couldn't come up with an answer.

"That's a great question," Kelly said. "I don't know."

"Not very often," he continued.

Kelly spent most of his career in the National League without a designated hitter, so he hadn't ever been in the starting lineup with another primary catcher before Monday's 5-0 win over the New York Mets at Citi Field. He was lineup with other catchers in 2022 after the NL adopted the DH, but those catchers were primary outfielders.

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Facing left-hander Sean Manaea, Tigers manager A.J. Hinch used two true catchers — Kelly and Jake Rogers — in Monday's starting lineup against the Mets for the first time in the 2024 season. Both catchers perform best on offense against left-handed pitchers, especially Rogers.

"I'm unafraid to put them both in the lineup," Hinch said. "If I had a third one, I would consider that. I've done that before. We're just trying to beat the starter and beat the configuration of their bullpen. If they didn't offer something offensively, then I wouldn't be able to do that. ... We're just trying to win the game, and it takes both of them some days."

In spring training, Hinch described the Rogers and Kelly combination as a catching tandem.

Rogers seemed on track to catch the majority of the games after crushing 21 home runs last season despite a high strikeout rate, but the subtle message at the end of spring camp was the first sign that Rogers wouldn't be the starting catcher and Kelly wouldn't be the backup catcher.

"We're fortunate to have two guys who could literally catch as many games as any catcher in baseball, and I'd be completely comfortable with that," Hinch said, "which is why I call them a tandem. Whoever is starting that day is our starting catcher, and the other guy can be available off the bench."

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On Monday, Rogers finished 0-for-3 with three strikeouts, but Kelly finished 1-for-3 with one walk and a three-run home run. Kelly, who increased his bat speed and changed his swing mechanics in the offseason, clobbered a down-and-in sinker from right-handed reliever Michael Tonkin in the top of the 10th inning.

"I hit that pretty good," Kelly said.

His homer capped the 5-0 win in Monday's series opener against the Mets.

The new swing produced a 106.1 mph exit velocity, just like it produced a 105.1 mph exit velocity for a game-tying single and a 105.3 mph exit velocity for a game-winning single, both in Saturday's 7-6 win.

"Anything to help this team win," Kelly said.

That's exactly what makes the catching tandem work.

A strong relationship between Rogers and Kelly, exemplified by their shared desire to win, could be the foundation for success. Hinch, a former MLB catcher turned World Series-winning manager, compared the relationship aspect of the catching tandem to a pair of quarterbacks on the same NFL roster, then brought his explanation back to the baseball field.

"I've never seen a winning team have bad chemistry behind the plate," Hinch said. "It's really hard to win without stability behind the plate. It's also a really tough job, arguably the toughest job on the field, and I'm not saying that just because of my bias. It's important that they have a good relationship. It's important that the pitchers trust them. That wouldn't be there if those two didn't support each other."

The Tigers finished last season with Rogers and Kelly as the catching duo in the big leagues after signing Kelly in August 2023. The plan was always to keep them together for the 2024 season.

In the offseason, the Tigers picked up Kelly's $3.5 million club option and agreed to a raise for Rogers at $1.7 million in his first year of arbitration eligibility. After four games, each catcher has 10 plate appearances and one home run, though Kelly has more hits and walks.

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There is competition to grab ahold of the most playing time, but there isn't hostility between them.

Rogers supports Kelly; Kelly supports Rogers.

Just ask them.

"It's been awesome," Rogers said. "He's a great guy. He's pretty easy to root for. We get along very well. It's definitely different having two guys in the lineup, but it's fun. We want to play. We both want to play, so the more that happens, I think we're happy."

"The biggest thing is we want to win," Kelly said, "and we're both really good players. We're a good match. It's a great relationship. ... I want the best for Jake, and I want the best for myself. We're teammates, and we're here to win games. Whoever's name is called, be ready. It's been a lot of fun."

Contact Evan Petzold at epetzold@freepress.com or follow him @EvanPetzold.

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This article originally appeared on Detroit Free Press: Why Detroit Tigers really like catching duo Carson Kelly, Jake Rogers