The chemistry between Samuel Basallo and Trevor Rogers is hard to explain, but there’s no denying it

CINCINNATI — Neither Trevor Rogers nor Samuel Basallo recalls the details of a start against the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp almost two years ago. It went well, they know, but how exactly they maneuvered through the lineup for six innings to allow two runs on three hits eludes them.

Basallo had only recently arrived in Triple-A as a fast-rising prospect. Rogers had only recently arrived in Triple-A as a stagnating major leaguer in need of a reset.

Although the details of that start in Florida are hazy now, what is crystal clear is that it was the beginning of a special pitcher-catcher tandem. Basallo and Rogers have a “chemistry unlike I’ve had in a long time,” Rogers said. And, although they don’t really know why that is the case, the Orioles are more than willing to let this duo ride.

“It seemed like out of the gate — I don’t know how it works or if there’s a way to explain it — it just clicked,” Rogers said of that Aug. 31, 2024, start for the Norfolk Tides.

“I feel like we’ve just been having a good relationship, good chemistry,” Basallo said in English. “The key with everything, what we’ve got, he trusts in me. And, when the pitcher trusts in their catcher, you see the difference. It’s just a confidence in each other.”

The difference is apparent when it comes to Basallo and Rogers. Several times this season, Rogers has gone out of his way after starts to commend Basallo for just how smoothly an outing with him behind the plate goes.

After posting five scoreless innings in Friday’s series opener against the Cincinnati Reds, Rogers has thrown 86 1/3 innings in the majors to Basallo. He holds a 2.50 ERA in that span, and opponents have managed just a .588 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

The only catcher with a better ERA while working with Rogers in five or more games is Sandy León, whose 1.72 ERA came across 57 2/3 innings with the Miami Marlins in 2021.

Over the weekend, catching instructor Joe Singley brought up their strong partnership to Basallo and Rogers. Like them, Singley can’t quite put a finger on what works so well. What matters less is the why. The Orioles will enjoy the results.

“It’s just like dancing,” Singley said. “It’s something you can’t describe, but their feet match each other. They’re in the right step. They think the same way. Whatever’s working there is kind of hard to describe, but I think that’s the uniqueness of being a catcher. There are certain things we can’t put a metric on, but they’re invaluable.”

One of those unmeasurable aspects is the understanding Basallo has of Rogers’ arsenal and pitch usage. Part of Rogers’ task with Norfolk was to tweak his pitch usage. Basallo was there for the “bottom floor,” Rogers said. He was there for Rogers’ time in Triple-A at the beginning of 2025, too.

Over time, as Rogers morphed, Basallo gained understanding of which pitches — and which pitch locations — worked best. And Rogers has learned to trust the 21-year-old’s instinct.

“Triple-A games, they’re not as magnified as up here, so he really got to see how my stuff played and what worked and what didn’t at certain times,” Rogers said. “And the rest is history, really.”

Rogers said the less thinking he does, “the better off we’ll both be.”

He leaves the game calling to Basallo, even though Rogers also has a device on his glove so he can communicate with him.

“The last couple outings, he only called, I think, three pitches per game. Most of the time it’s just me,” Basallo said. “I feel like he never shakes. That’s good. He puts confidence in my work, and I feel like he says, ‘I trust in you. I just want to do my best with what you call.’”

That trust, surely, is the largest reason Rogers and Basallo have success together. There is no analytical database to measure that. All the Orioles know is that they work well together, so there’s no reason to change a thing.

“It’s something we can’t really put a finger on, and I don’t know if we want to,” Singley said. “We’re just gonna let it sit and let them two keep working some magic.”