The Boston Red Sox posted their batting order Friday ahead of the second contest in a four-game set with the Baltimore Orioles, slotting catcher Adley Rutschman third.
Rutschman will catch and hit behind Roman Anthony, who is listed as the designated hitter. Nick Gasper starts at first base, Wilyer Abreu in right field, Nick Sogard at second, Caleb Durbin at third, Jarren Duran in left, Trevor Story at shortstop and Eli White in center. Ranger Suarez takes the mound.
Boston opened the series with a 6-5 victory Thursday. Rutschman launched two home runs in that game, his first appearance in Baltimore since the Orioles traded him to their division rival at the deadline.
“That’s a heck of a way to make a return,” manager Chad Tracy said. “That was awesome. I thought it was really cool, the video they did for him. I thought it was first class of them to step out and let him be acknowledged, and the ovation was awesome. And obviously, he had a big night.”
The crowd reaction and tribute video gave the night extra weight. Rutschman later described how he handled the moment once the game resumed.
“I think just trying to compartmentalize as much as possible, trying to move on [from the ovation],” he said. “You’re in a big league baseball game, and you’ve got to lock in for your at-bat, and so I was trying to just move into that mindset as quickly as possible afterward.”
The two-homer night stood out because Rutschman has struggled since joining Boston. He is hitting .193 with three home runs and six RBIs and an OPS of .638 in a Red Sox uniform.
Those numbers have left some observers wondering when the switch-hitting catcher would find his stride. Thursday’s production offered the first clear sign that the adjustment period might be ending.
The trade itself drew sharp criticism in Baltimore because it sent a homegrown star to a club fighting for the same playoff spots. Rutschman’s early results in Boston did little to quiet that debate until the first game of this series.
Boston entered Friday at 76-65. The club has gone 4-6 over its last 10 games, a stretch that has raised questions about consistency in the final weeks.
Still, the American League wild-card picture remains relatively open. The Red Sox sit in position to claim a postseason berth if they can stack wins against clubs like the Orioles.
A four-game series in Baltimore gives them a chance to do exactly that. Taking two or three games here would tighten their grip on a wild-card spot and build momentum heading into the last stretch of the schedule.
Rutschman batting third Friday signals the coaching staff wants him in the middle of the order while the hot streak, however brief, lasts. The hope inside the Boston clubhouse is that one big night against his former team becomes the start of a longer run.
The Orioles, meanwhile, must find a way to contain a player they once built around. How Rutschman fares over the remaining three games will shape both teams’ September narratives.
Boston will try to keep the series lead and push its record further above .500. Every win now carries extra weight with so little time left on the calendar.
