The Boston Red Sox have been on an astounding winning tear and have yet to enjoy contributions from a surprise superstar trade addition made just before the trade deadline.
But Saturday finally provided the first glimpse of what Adley Rutschman, acquired from the division rival Baltimore Orioles in a surprise blockbuster, could bring to the lineup.
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The three-time All-Star catcher had not played since July 18 because of left wrist inflammation, meaning his arrival in Boston hasn’t forced a change on the big-league roster a change to the team’s strong momentum.
But Rutschman offered a positive update after he suited up for Triple-A Worcester to begin his rehabilitation assignment.
“I felt good,” Rutschman said after testing his wrist in a game setting, according to MassLive’s Katie Morrison-O’Day.
Rutschman took some walks, logged a hit and threw out a runner in the outing, giving him a good chance to test his health before getting the chance to join a surging Red Sox club in the near future.
“It was great to be able to get out there and play some ball again,” Rutschman added, per Morrison-O’Day. “I was very happy with just kind of how it’s been responding and feeling.
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Rutschman, who appeared to be a foundational position player for an Orioles team that hoped to compete for a World Series, immediately answers an open question at catcher for the Red Sox. But the team has been succeeding without him as he moves closer to a debut with the big-league club.
“The expectation is that Rutschman will DH for Worcester on Sunday,” Ian Browne reported for MLB.com. “After that game, the Red Sox will evaluate if he needs more time in the minors or if they’ll have him report directly to Toronto for a four-game series that starts on Monday night.”
After joining the Red Sox from the Orioles, Rutschman has plenty of experience against the Blue Jays, another American League East rival who is fighting for a wild card playoff spot. Without Rutschman ready, the Red Sox are splitting backstop duties between Connor Wong and Jake Rogers. While neither carry the potential offensive impact of their new star teammate, they have been able to sustain a remarkable turnaround for the Red Sox in recent weeks.