Rutschman out of starting lineup on Thursday

Rutschman had a two-run single in the first and then hit a 401-foot homer off Merrill Kelly in the third. It was his first homer in seven games for Boston after 69 in 3 1/2 seasons with the Orioles.

It was a little bit surprising to see the Red Sox bat Rutschman third in his first game off the IL, but it worked out. Rutschman figures to start one of the two remaining games in the series against Toronto, but it’s not currently known which one.

Rutschman is hitting third in his Red Sox debut against the Blue Jays at the Rogers Centre on Tuesday night. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop takes over as Boston’s franchise catcher after arriving from the division-rival Orioles in exchange for three of the organization’s top five prospects. His return is a welcome development for fantasy managers following a three-week absence due to wrist inflammation.

Rutschman will make his highly-anticipated Red Sox debut up in Toronto after being acquired from the division-rival Orioles in a six-player blockbuster at the trade deadline last week. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop has been on the shelf with wrist inflammation since July 20. He went 1-for-5 with a double and two RBI in a pair of rehab contests for Triple-A Worcester last week.

Five innings of one rehab game was apparently enough for Rutschman to prove he was ready to return from wrist inflammation. He’s expected to work out on the field prior to Monday’s game, and if that goes well, he should be activated. The Red Sox would then have to decide whether to DFA Jake Rogers or send Connor Wong to Triple-A.

Rutschman caught five innings today. The double was hit 104 mph off Lou Trivino. Worcester ended up beating Lehigh Valley 19-0, so the Rutschman acquisition is already paying off for Boston. It’s unclear if he’ll play again tomorrow.

The plan is for Rutschman to catch for five innings and get a couple of at-bats in. It’s unclear how many games he’ll need there before he’s cleared to join the Red Sox. If all goes well, he should be back at some point before the end of next week.

Rutschman will undergo an evaluation with Boston’s medical staff before his next steps come into focus. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop, who is currently on the injured list with left wrist inflammation, came over to the Red Sox in a trade deadline blockbuster. There should be a definitive return timetable at some point later this week.

The blockbuster trade deadline deal is now official. Boston gave up a massive haul, including three of their top five prospects, according to Baseball America. Rutschman is currently on the injured list with left wrist inflammation and won’t be ready to contribute for a couple weeks. There’s a chance he’s ready to start a minor league rehab assignment later this week. The 28-year-old former top-overall pick from the 2019 draft topped 19 homers in consecutive seasons from 2023-2024 before missing time with injury each of the last two years. He fills a glaring need behind the plate for the Red Sox, especially since he won’t reach free agency until 2028. However, there’s a decent chance that surrendering a high-level pitching prospect like Eyanson to a division-rival ultimately comes back to haunt them.

Apparently, the medicals were approved. The Orioles will get Anthony Eyanson (Boston’s No. 1 pitching prospect), 2025 first-rounder Kyson Witherspoon, Carlos Narváez and more, according to the Baltimore Sun’s Jacob Calvin Meyer. The Red Sox will have Rutschman under control through 2027. He’s still on the IL for now, but he’ll take over from Connor Wong as the starter when healthy. Jake Rogers is also in the deal going to Boston, so he’ll back up Wong for now. For Baltimore, the move clears the way for Samuel Basallo to spend the next several years as a starting catcher.