The Boston Red Sox traded for Adley Rutschman to solve their catcher position. An injury to the former Orioles No. 1 overall pick threatens to derail that plan.
Red Sox manager Chad Tracy spoke on local radio station WEEI in Boston on Tuesday and shared some concerning news: Rutschman has an injury that could bother him the rest of the season.
Rutschman is dealing with a hyperextended elbow, and it will “probably” be “an issue” the rest of the way, according to Tim Healey of the Boston Globe.
The Boston lineup on Monday night didn’t include Rutschman, with Connor Wong instead slotted at catcher. Rutschman will sit Tuesday, as well.
Clearly, an elbow issue isn’t good for a catcher. Rutschman previously dealt with such a problem in 2022 with the Orioles during Spring Training.
Why Isn’t Adley Rutschman Playing?
Rutschman’s elbow is being given rest by Boston. Tracy has made it clear that the Red Sox need to manage this injury going forward to prevent it from being a long-term dilemma.
The Red Sox could conceptually use Rutschman at DH, but with an overloaded outfield, particularly with the return of Roman Anthony, that spot won’t be open very often.
Rutschman has played in 15 games with the Red Sox since being acquired from the Orioles, and it’s been tough sledding. He’s batting .170 with a .500 OPS. Rutschman has one double and one home run among his nine hits in 53 at bats since coming to Boston.
Red Sox Catcher Depth Chart
The Red Sox have the aforementioned Connor Wong as their most accomplished catcher defensively, but he hasn’t been able to match the offensive production of his 2024 season.
Mickey Gasper has also come through the ranks as a catcher, although his defensive shortcomings have often led to him being used at first base or DH instead.
Gasper put together one of the most impressive single-month performances in recent memory in August, including six home runs in his final 12 games at the MLB level in the month. As the calendar flips to September, it seems like he’ll at least get a chance behind the dish if Rutschman’s elbow keeps acting up.
How Adley Rutschman’s Elbow Injury Impacts Contract
Rutschman has one more season of club control remaining with the Red Sox following this campaign. It’ll be the final season he’s eligible for salary arbitration.
A potential lockout could obviously change things, but a bumpy season for Rutschman likely means his arbitration value won’t come in too high.
Boston would surely like to see Rutschman get on a roll before the end of the season arrives. The second-half tear by the Red Sox would be boosted that much more by Rutschman returning to some of his early-career form.
In the meantime, though, he simply needs to get his right elbow in better shape. Without a healthy throwing arm, it’ll be hard for Rutschman to be an impactful catcher down the stretch at Fenway Park.
Adley Rutschman Injury News Isn’t Good for Red Sox