Red Sox Adley Rutschman Batting Third At Camden Yards, Facing Orioles For First Time

The switch-hitting catcher, a former first-overall pick, and the first selection ever made by Mike Elias, has slumped mightily since being dealt a month ago

Aug 29, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox catcher Adley Rutschman (31) reacts after hitting a single and advancing to second base on a row to third base during the ninth inning against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Former Orioles first-overall pick Adley Rutschman did not participate in the Red Sox recent series with the Mariners but is in the lineup and batting third Thursday to face his former team for the first time.

Rutschman is dealing with an elbow injury that could bother him the rest of the season and has started just 13 games for Boston in the month since he was acquired, off to a terrible start with a .500 OPS. He had been dropped to the fifth or sixth spot lately, but will bat third in his return to Camden Yards, and also catching.

It was a little over five years ago when the top prospect made his Baltimore debut, hitting a triple against the Twins in May of 2022, but his career has tumbled since June 2024, he has become an unproductive hitter and an unreliable presence behind the plate, missing so much time, and he entered play Thursday just 27th in MLB in innings caught this season.

After a torrid first three weeks with the Orioles, Rutschman fell into old habits, not walking nearly as much as he used to, getting under the ball too much and failing to do damage.Since May 1, when Rutschman started to breakdown, again, he has appeared in just 66 games, (279 plate appearances) with just five homers an 34 RBIS and a woeful slash of: .207/.297/.336 - .634 OPS.

Time To Go

Rookie catcher Samuel Basallo, unlike Rutschman, signed long term, started to take off as a power producer as Rutschman began his first of three trips to the Injured List this season (so far), and the Orioles need to get him ample continued development time, just turning 22. Pete Alonso is entrenched with a long-term deal at first base, with no other fielding flexibility in his toolkit, and with two playoff runs left on his deal the Orioles had to trade him.

The industry generally fawned over the package of prospects failed baseball exec Mike Elias landed for the switch-hitting catcher, and outfielder Enddy Azocar, the least talked about of the big three, sent to Baltimore, was named South Atlantic League (Frederick, A+) player of the month. Pitchers Anthony Eyanson (a top 100 prospect) and Kyson Witherspoon were also included in the trade and off to strong starts in this organization

The Orioles (69-71) remained on the fringes of the final Wild Card spot since dealing Rutschman, while Boston (75-65) has cooled down after an historic winning streak but is firmly in playoff position.

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