Tyler Rogers and Jose Butto’s Trade Journey

Tyler Rogers and Jose Butto recently completed one last cross-country flight with their previous teams before joining their new ones in New York.

The trades were finalized on Wednesday, right before the MLB trading deadline. Rogers flew with a fellow teammate from San Francisco, while Butto made his way back to Queens with the Mets ahead of their weekend series against the teams at Citifield.

Rogers expressed it was somewhat of a blessing to say his goodbyes on the plane. “It felt meaningful, moving on and everything,” he said in the Mets clubhouse before their Friday game, which the Giants won 4-3.

However, there was a slight hiccup for Rogers—he found himself in a Giants sweatsuit as he had already given his suitcase to the travel crew before their Wednesday matchup against the Pirates. “They told me it was already on the plane… I said, ‘Hey, I need to change my clothes,'” he joked. “I was kind of caught off guard.”

Butto also made the trip with the Mets after the trade was confirmed. Additionally, the Giants received Drew Gilbert and Blade Tidwell in return.

Butto, 27, admitted he was “unsurprisingly surprised” by the trade, not quite expecting it.

“Honestly, I felt really sad at first,” he said through an interpreter before allowing a runner to score on a sacrifice fly by Pete Alonso in the eighth inning. “But, over time, you get accustomed to it and learn to accept the nature of the baseball business.”

“Flying with the team was enjoyable, everyone was in good spirits, but I understood that I had already been traded.”

Interestingly, Rogers’ twin brother, Taylor, was also traded just before the deadline, and he humorously remarked, “Mom had quite a busy day, that’s for sure.”

Rogers, at 34, holds a solid ERA of 1.80 and a WHIP of 0.86 from 53 appearances this season with the Giants.

“I’m a pending free agent, so I guess I could see where I might fit in with a team that’s around .500,” Rogers said, marking his first trade experience. “I’m really excited. Last week, after observing the dugout, I thought, this team is ready to compete. It’s a complete package.”

“I hope I can contribute in whatever way they need me.”

Former Mets infielder Wilmer Flores described Rogers as a reliable teammate, noting, “They definitely acquired some great people. The bullpen has certainly improved. He’s someone you can count on—available practically every day. We will definitely miss him.”