Orioles Place Adley Rutschman On 10-Day Injured List; Choose Maverick Handley
The Orioles fielded a catcher Adley Rutschman on the 10-day injured list with left ankle sprain, reports Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. The club chooses to hold Maverick Handley from Double-A and right-handed pitching Chayce McDermott to get a share in the corresponding movement.
Kostka reported earlier today that Rutschman has been scratched from the Orioles’ starting lineup. It is not clear how he injured his ankle, although it is so bad that the club will give him at least 10 days to rest and recover. Even a short layoff could hurt the Orioles’ offense, as they currently have a 6-7 record and have been outscored 55-48 by their opponents. After a down year in 2025, Rutschman is off to a hot start this year, hitting .294/.385/.471 with a 154 wRC+ in 39 plate appearances. While his .357 batting average on balls in play suggests he benefited from luck, he also posted an increase in exit velocity and strikeout rate. Either way, the club could certainly appreciate more of that product as they look to return to contention.
His absence will be felt behind the plate. Rutschman’s career at catcher hasn’t been as valuable recently as it was in 2022-23, but he remains a solid option behind the plate. Statcast rated him in the 61st percentile last year for his blocking and pop time, while his linebacking ability was in the 76th percentile. He’s off to a good start this year as well, with two earned runs in 81 1/3 innings of relief. his backup, Samuel Basallohe has talent in his own right but he hasn’t shown much defensively since he started playing last year. On that basis, it’s clear that Rutschman’s production on both sides of the ball remains key to Baltimore’s playoff hopes.
In a broader context, the injury is just the latest in a string of bad luck for the Orioles. Several key offensive pieces are currently on the shelf, among them the second baseman Jackson Holiday (right hamate surgery) and infielder Jordan Westburg (right hamstring). Holiday is expected to return soon, while Westburg is expected to be out until the end of May. The game crew arguably had even worse luck. The right hand Zach Eflin had Tommy John surgery earlier this week and will be out until 2027. Andrew Kittredge, Keegan Akinagain Colin Selby everything went on the shelf during Spring Training, while the front is close Felix Bautista it’s still a long way from coming back this year, as he had labrum surgery last August.
The plethora of injuries makes it very difficult for the Orioles to regain their last place in the AL East in 2025. In the meantime, the club will have to deal with its internal options. Behind the plate, that will be a combination of Basallo and Handley. Basallo is ranked as the No. 1 prospect. 13 in all of baseball last year by MLB.com. The team signed him to an extension in August, guaranteeing him eight years and $67MM despite Basallo turning 20. Basallo, meanwhile, impressed with a .270/.377/.589 batting line and 151 wRC+ in Triple-A. He hasn’t established himself as a major league hitter, with just a 54 wRC+ in 156 PA. That’s probably not too much of a concern because of his youth, as he has plenty of time to find himself at the plate.
Basallo will get the majority of the starts as long as Rutschman is out, with Handley as his backup. Handley, 28, was selected by the Orioles in the sixth round in 2019 and reached the Triple-A level in 2023. He has shown the ability to get on base, often posting walk rates in the 13-15% range. However, that was eliminated by the lack of power. Handley has hit a .367 slugging percentage and .109 ISO since reaching Triple-A, both of which occurred last year. Defensively, he was passable, throwing about 27% of potential Triple-A pitchers through 2023. As the only healthy catcher on the 40-man roster besides Basallo, Handley will hold onto his spot for now. He has two options left and could be sent down or selected if the Orioles sign another catcher.
As for McDermott, the 27-year-old lost his roster spot after not making a major league game this year. He has thrown 12 2/3 innings with Baltimore since the start of 2024, allowing 18 earned runs and four home runs in the span. The bulk of that damage came in 2025, when McDermott posted a 15.58 ERA in four appearances (one start). He still has one year left to choose from, but the club was content to pick him up and release him from waivers given his age and lack of performance. He will likely go unclaimed and be sent straight to Triple-A. With less than a year of service and no specific assignments, McDermott could not refuse.
Photo courtesy of Lexi Thompson, Imagn Images
