Adley Rutschman is headed back to Camden Yards tonight, and the first Baltimore crowd to see him in a Red Sox uniform is in for a loud one.
Rutschman is back in the lineup for the series opener, batting third and catching after missing time since Sunday with elbow soreness. It’s his first appearance in Baltimore since the Orioles dealt him to Boston at the deadline for four prospects and catcher Carlos Narváez. He enters the night 9-for-53 with a double, a home run, six walks and 15 strikeouts in 59 plate appearances.
The matchup gives Baltimore a familiar look in the middle of the order, too. Coby Mayo is batting second and serving as the designated hitter, while Blaze Alexander is leading off and playing second base.
Mayo has mashed left-handed pitching all season, hitting .322/.383/.760 with 15 home runs against lefties. Alexander is one of nine major league players this year with at least 250 plate appearances and a batting average at or above .300, and he’d become the first player to hit .300 in his first Orioles season with at least 250 plate appearances since Hanser Alberto in 2019.
Baltimore’s outfield has Luis Robert Jr. in center, Dylan Beavers in left and Leody Taveras in right. Pete Alonso is at first base, Gunnar Henderson is at shortstop and Christian Encarnacion-Strand is at third.
Brandon Young gets the ball for the Orioles, and the numbers around his season have been strong. He’s 9-3 with a 3.38 ERA in 23 starts, and he shut down the Athletics in his last outing by allowing one run over seven innings.
Baltimore has won 18 of his 23 starts, making this the sixth time the Orioles have won at least 18 of a pitcher’s first 23 starts in a season. The previous pitchers to do it for the club were Dave McNally in 1966 and 1969, Steve Stone in 1980 and Chris Tillman in 2013 and 2016.
Young already has one start this year against Boston at Camden Yards on his ledger. In that outing, he gave up three runs and seven hits in 5 2/3 innings, and Wilyer Abreu homered off him.
Boston is turning to rookie left-hander Jake Bennett, the Nationals’ second-round pick in 2022 out of the University of Oklahoma. Bennett comes in 9-6 with a 3.27 ERA and a 1.036 WHIP in 16 starts.
He has issued only 18 walks and allowed seven home runs in 93 2/3 innings. His last start was one of his best, a six-inning shutout of the Yankees on three hits, his fourth scoreless outing of the season.
Bennett has already faced the Orioles once, working Game 1 of a July 22 doubleheader at Fenway Park. He allowed three runs and nine hits over 5 2/3 innings in that one, and Christian Encarnacion-Strand went 3-for-3 against him with a home run.
The split numbers have been sharp, too: left-handers are batting .176/.242/.176 against Bennett, while right-handers are hitting .247/.280/.376.
Boston comes in 5-4 against Baltimore this season and sits in the second Wild Card spot at 75-65, even after dropping six of its last eight, including a 16-1 loss to the Yankees. The Red Sox have also taken three straight road series against the Orioles, their longest run in Baltimore since 2018-19.
One reason Boston has steadied itself is its work in tight games. Since the start of July, the Red Sox are 17-7 in games decided by two runs or fewer, the best record in the majors. Before July, they were 13-26 in those games, which ranked as the second-worst winning percentage in baseball at .333.
Willson Contreras has been a problem for Baltimore all season, with 14 hits and 11 RBIs against the Orioles, the most RBIs by any player against them. His 1.155 career OPS against Baltimore is second among active players with at least 50 plate appearances against the Orioles, behind only Aaron Judge’s 1.188, according to STATS.
Anthony Nunez is on the taxi squad, while the Orioles also had updates on two players designated for assignment: infielder Luis Vázquez cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to Triple-A Norfolk, and the Mets claimed right-hander Cameron Weston.
High-A Frederick’s Enddy Azocar was named the South Atlantic League’s Player of the Month for August. Tonight’s game airs exclusively on FOX.
In Other News...
Orioles Fans Are Mourning A Voice Camden Chat Knew For Years
Longtime Camden Chat commenters know how much a familiar voice can shape the daily rhythm around a team, and Jakubazookas was one of those presences for years. He was active in Orioles discussions, brought a clear passion for the club, and even shared a little of his life beyond baseball through a baking hobby that made him more than just another screen name to regulars.
His death last month, in what was described as an apparent act of random violence while he was walking to work, has left that community mourning a loss that feels deeply personal. His family has set up a GoFundMe to help his wife with expenses, a reminder that for all the online back-and-forth, the people behind those usernames are very real, and sometimes the sadness reaches far beyond the comment section. [Read more 🡒]
Playoff Power Bat Slipped Away For One Reason Padres Could Not Control
The Orioles have a chance to jump the line for a player who suddenly found himself available in the middle of the stretch run. The Mets placed outfielder Luis Robert Jr. on outright waivers, and Baltimore claimed him, giving the club a shot at adding a proven bat without having to wait for the usual trade-market wrangling. For a team still sorting out its late-season picture, that kind of waiver claim can carry real weight.
Baltimores path to Robert came with a bit of timing and a little luck, since the Padres were also in the mix but did not have the waiver priority to get it done. Even so, the move does not immediately change Roberts status with New York, because he remains eligible to keep playing for the Mets while the waiver process plays out. That leaves the Orioles watching a situation that is still unresolved, but one with plenty of implications if it lands their way. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Roster Churn Just Cost Them More Pitching Depth
The Orioles recent roster churn reached another pitching layer when the Mets claimed right-hander Cameron Weston off waivers and sent him to Triple-A Syracuse. Weston had been in Baltimores organization as another arm worth keeping around for depth, the kind of pitcher teams are reluctant to lose when the staff is already stretched thin, but the waiver process left the Orioles exposed.
Shawn Ross was the corresponding move on New Yorks side, with the catcher designated for assignment to clear a 40-man spot. Ross now goes on waivers and could be claimed again, or outrighted if he clears, while Baltimore is left sorting through yet another reminder that pitching depth can disappear quickly when roster spots start moving around. [Read more 🡒]