Adley

Rutschman

He still isn’t sure when he’ll return, but he has been running and going through drills without any issues over the past couple of days. He’s eligible to return from the injured list on Tuesday and there’s growing optimism that he could be ready then or shortly afterwards. Samuel Basallo and Maverick Handley will continue to handle the catching duties in his absence.

Rutschman was placed on the 10-day injured list before Saturday’s game against the Giants, and it looks like this was just a precautionary measure for the backstop. It may not be an exact 10-day stint, but assuming no setbacks, there’s a great chance Rutschman is back behind the plate before the end of April.

Rutschman was scratched from the lineup Saturday by the Orioles with soreness in his ankle, and Baltimore won’t play short-handed. Assuming no structural damage there’s a good chance Rutschman is back soon, but for now, Samuel Basallo will be the everyday backstop with Maverick Handley up to back Basallo up.

Rutschman was set to hit third against Logan Webb and the Giants, but he’ll get at least a day off due to the ankle ailment. Samuel Basallo is now catching, and Ryan Mountcastle will be the designated hitter with Rutschman out.

Rutschman will get a breather with Samuel Basallo catching Trevor Rogers. Gunnar Henderson will be the designated hitter, so Blaze Alexander gets the start at shortstop.

Rutschman will get his first breather of the season. The 28-year-old retreats to the bench with Samuel Basallo getting the nod behind the plate and Pete Alonso serving as the designated hitter.

Rutschman got a high fastball from Pirates starter Carmen Mlodzinski and didn’t miss it, launching a 381-foot blast to right field for his second big fly of the spring. The 28-year-old backstop will cede occasional playing time to top prospect Samuel Basallo this season, but he’s locked in as Baltimore’s starting catcher, and is a top 12-15 range fantasy option at the position.

Rutschman went deep for the first time this spring, taking journeyman southpaw Martín Pérez to left-center field in the fourth inning. The 28-year-old is coming off a down year overall at the plate last season but a return to the 20-homer plateau isn’t out of the question if he manages to avoid the injured list.

Adley had a rough season, hitting .220/.307/.366 with nine home runs and 29 RBI in 90 games. However, his batted ball data and plate discipline suggested that he deserved far better. With the Orioles already committing to him as their starting catcher next season, Rutschman could be a solid bounce-back candidate in fantasy in 2026.

There were some questions about whether or not the Orioles were looking to turn things over to top prospect Samuel Basallo after Rutschman had a disappointing 2025 season, but that does not appear to be the case. Elias did imply that there is room for the team to have two good catchers, which means both Rutschman and Basallo should see regular playing time behind the dish. If the Orioles also move on from Ryan Mountcastle, then there could be additional at-bats at first base and/or designated hitter for Basallo in 2026.