A challenging start to 2026 for the Orioles became more concerning Saturday when catcher Adley Rutschman went from being in the original starting lineup to going on the 10-day injured list in under three hours.
Coming off a three-hit, two-double showing in Friday’s 6-3 loss to San Francisco, the two-time All-Star selection was scheduled to catch starting pitcher Chris Bassitt before the club announced Rutschman had been scratched due to left ankle inflammation. The 28-year-old was then placed on the IL minutes before the scheduled first pitch as the Orioles selected the contract of backup catcher Maverick Handley from Double-A Bowie. Triple-A catcher Sam Huff was lifted early in Saturday’s game in Norfolk, a likely sign that he was being summoned to Baltimore.
To make room for Handley on the 40-man roster, right-handed pitcher Chayce McDermott was designated for assignment.
Rutschman going on the IL so quickly after being scratched from the lineup completed a weird sequence of events since the Orioles usually try to avoid putting a key player on the IL to the point of sometimes playing shorthanded for a few days unless there’s no doubt about the ailment needing at least the 10-day minimum for recovery. There were no obvious signs of injury for Rutschman during Friday’s game, and he seemed fine when spotted by reporters in the postgame clubhouse.
Coming off a disappointing 2025 season that included the first IL stints of his major league career for oblique injuries to each side, Rutschman was off to a good start at the plate with a .294/.385/.471 slash line over 39 plate appearances. The Orioles will now presumably lean more heavily on rookie Samuel Basallo behind the plate, but the 21-year-old is off to a very slow start offensively as he entered Saturday batting just .152 with a .506 on-base plus slugging percentage in 38 plate appearances.
The injury concerns didn’t stop there as backup first baseman and designated hitter Ryan Mountcastle left Saturday’s game after hurting his left foot legging out a double in the bottom of the second inning. Third baseman Coby Mayo also appeared to be favoring his leg after sliding into home plate awkwardly in the last of the fourth, but he remained in the game.
