Adley Rutschman Scratched with Abdominal Discomfort as Orioles Hold Their Breath

The Baltimore Orioles got a sudden jolt just hours before first pitch on Tuesday night when Adley Rutschman, their All-Star catcher and clubhouse cornerstone, was scratched from the starting lineup due to right abdominal discomfort. It was a late and unexpected change that not only left a hole in the Orioles’ batting order, but also raised fresh concerns about the physical toll of a long, grinding season on one of their most important players.

This wasn’t just any routine lineup tweak. When Rutschman is removed from a game, it’s news. And this time, it wasn’t about giving him a standard day off or adjusting for matchups—it was medical. The club announced that he had reported some discomfort in his right side during pregame prep, and trainers made the call to pull him as a precaution. The message was clear: don’t take chances when it comes to a player this valuable.

It’s the kind of news that sends an uneasy ripple through the fan base. Rutschman has already battled through a few health hiccups this year, including an oblique strain earlier in the summer that briefly sidelined him. That injury was on his left side, while this current issue is on the right. Still, any sort of core or abdominal tightness in a catcher is an automatic red flag. Those muscles are under constant stress—twisting, squatting, throwing, blocking pitches in the dirt, and taking big swings. And when they go, recovery can be unpredictable.

The Orioles didn’t immediately place Rutschman on the injured list, which suggests the team is hopeful it’s nothing serious. He was expected to undergo further evaluation the following day, and the club was staying quiet on any long-term outlook. But even a brief absence can carry real consequences—both for Rutschman and the team’s momentum.

Adley Rutschman isn’t just the starting catcher—he’s the engine of this Orioles team. He calls the game, works with the pitching staff, anchors the lineup, and leads by example. In a season that’s already seen Baltimore riding a roller coaster of performance, his presence is one of the few constants. He’s the type of player who can settle down a young pitcher during a tense inning, and then deliver a clutch base hit the next time up. When he’s not in the dugout, something feels off.

In his place, Alex Jackson got the start behind the plate. Jackson is a capable backup with a good arm and some power, but it’s a different game when Adley’s not wearing the gear. Jackson did his job and handled the pitching staff, but the entire roster knows it’s just not the same without Rutschman calling the shots and controlling the rhythm of the game.

The Orioles have been leaning hard on their catching core this season, and it’s been a physically demanding stretch. There’s been talk all year about the grind these guys go through, especially in the dog days of summer. The schedule rarely lets up, the travel piles on, and the expectation to perform both defensively and offensively only grows. Rutschman has handled it all with his usual poise and toughness, but no one is invincible—especially not in August.

What makes this moment more delicate is the timing. The Orioles are trying to string together wins and claw their way back into the playoff picture. They’ve shown flashes of the exciting, energetic team that took the league by storm in 2023, but they’ve also struggled with inconsistency. Every game matters now, and every lineup card carries weight. Missing Rutschman, even for a couple of nights, means the Orioles are without their leader at the most critical point in the season.

It also creates a ripple effect on the rest of the roster. Ryan Mountcastle has to take on more of the offensive load. Gunnar Henderson might be asked to catch more innings. The bullpen and rotation lose their primary strategist and in-game communicator. Samuel Basallo, the young and immensely talented catching prospect waiting in the wings, may suddenly see more opportunity come his way. While Basallo is viewed as the future at the position, this isn’t how the Orioles envisioned that door opening.

The coaching staff, meanwhile, has to manage the situation delicately. On one hand, they don’t want to rush Rutschman back and risk aggravating what could be a minor issue. On the other, they understand what his absence means in the short term. It’s a balancing act between urgency and caution—something every contending team eventually has to navigate.

Rutschman himself has been through this kind of thing before. He missed time in college with a core injury, and he’s known for his meticulous training and conditioning. If anyone knows how to listen to his body and work his way back methodically, it’s him. But there’s also the competitor side of him that wants to be out there, wants to catch every inning, and hates missing even one pitch. It’ll be up to the Orioles’ medical staff and front office to hold him back if necessary.

As for the fan reaction, there’s a mix of concern and cautious optimism. Nobody wants to see Rutschman go back on the injured list, but nobody wants to see him play through pain and risk something more serious either. Orioles fans have been through too much over the years to ignore the warning signs. They know how quickly things can unravel when core players are out. But they also know what kind of player they have in Adley Rutschman. He’s a cornerstone not just of the team, but of the franchise’s entire direction.

Tuesday night’s game might have ended with a W or an L, but the real story was the one that never got written—the one where Rutschman was supposed to be behind the plate, guiding the team to another hard-fought win. Instead, he was in the clubhouse, managing discomfort and watching as someone else took on his role. It’s a reminder of how fragile a season can be and how quickly things can change.

The Orioles will wait on the next round of tests before making any official decisions, but the hope is that Rutschman’s scratch was more precaution than problem. For now, fans and teammates alike are holding their breath, hoping their leader is back in the lineup sooner rather than later. Because if the Orioles are going to make any kind of run this fall, they’ll need number 35 healthy, sharp, and back where he belongs—right behind the plate, calling the shots.