Adley Rutschman reinstated from injured list

BALTIMORE — Adley Rutschman is back for the final week of the 2025 season.

During Mondayâ€s off-day, the Orioles reinstated Rutschman from the 10-day injured list after the 27-year-old catcher had been sidelined with a right oblique strain since Aug. 21 (retroactive to Aug. 18). Baltimore made room on its 28-man active roster by optioning utility infielder Luis Vázquez to the clubâ€s Spring Training complex.

Right-hander Scott Blewett (who was designated for assignment on Friday) cleared outright waivers and accepted an assignment to the Oâ€s Spring Training complex.

Although the Orioles have only six games remaining — three at home against the Rays and three vs. the Yankees in New York — Rutschman will look to finish strong and build positive momentum to take into the offseason. Itâ€s been a bit of a tough year for the two-time All-Star.

In 85 games, Rutschman is hitting .227 with 16 doubles, one triple, nine home runs, 29 RBIs and a .683 OPS. He also had an earlier stint on the IL due to a separate oblique injury — a left oblique strain that sidelined him from June 20-July 28.

This time, Rutschman played four rehab games for Triple-A Norfolk (three at catcher and one at designated hitter) and went 4-for-11 (.364). He slugged a home run on Saturday against Jacksonville, then collected a pair of hits on Sunday, the final day of the Triple-A season.

Now, Rutschman returns in time for a pair of American League East series to close the Oâ€s year.

Much like Rutschman, the Orioles have had a tough season themselves, as their 73-83 record ensures theyâ€ll finish with a losing mark for the first time since 2021 (52-110). Injuries have been a primary issue, as Rutschman is among 29 players who have spent time on the IL this year.

Baltimore will carry three catchers on its roster for the time being, with Rutschman joining Samuel Basallo (Oâ€s No. 1 prospect and MLB Pipelineâ€s No. 8 overall) and Alex Jackson. That could be a common occurrence in 2026, as the Orioles will want Rutschman and Basallo (who can also play first base) in the lineup together as much as possible.

It is not yet known whether fellow catcher Gary Sánchez will also be reinstated from the IL this week. The 32-year-old has been out due to a right knee sprain and played eight Triple-A rehab games before Norfolkâ€s season ended. Sánchez has been limited to 30 games in his first year in Baltimore due to multiple ailments.

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