Adley Rutschman is off to an in-division rival.
The Orioles traded the All-Star catcher to the Red Sox on deadline day, after reports started Monday morning that the two sides were working on a deal, The Post’s Jon Heyman confirmed.
Rutschman will join a surging 60-51 Red Sox team fighting to stay ahead of teams such as the Twins and Rangers in the playoff picture.
The switch-hitting catcher brings the instant impact bat that the Red Sox desperately needed before the trade deadline.
The 28-year-old is hitting .251 with a .764 OPS over 67 games in his fifth year in the majors, recording eight home runs and 47 RBI in that time.
The back stop also brings a defensive upgrade. So far in 2026 he ranks in the 100th percentile in caught-stealing above average, 96th percentile in fielding run value and 93rd percentile in framing.
He’ll replace Carlos Narváez who has a .535 OPS, and Connor Wong with a .707, though if that will be right away is still unknown.
The catcher, who was the first overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft, has been dealing with a wrist inflammation issue.
He was placed on the 10-day injured list on July 19, eligible to return on July 29, but has not returned yet.
While Rutschman wasn’t on the top of the trade block, the Orioles have depth at the catcher position, and a renaissance season from Rutschman puts his value at the highest it’s been the past few seasons.
Now, Baltimore will rely on rookie sensation Samuel Basallo at the catcher position. He’s signed to an eight-year, $67 million deal.
The Red Sox were not the only AL East team to bolster the catching position with the Rays adding Liam Hicks in a deal with the Marlins.
Twins Ryan Jeffers appears to be staying put after Minnesota decided to be a buyer, and Hunter Goodman from Colorado would have required a massive haul.
Disclaimer : This story is auto aggregated by a computer programme and has not been created or edited by DOWNTHENEWS. Publisher: nypost.com
