Boston Red Sox
Adley Rutschman stands as an sizable upgrade to Boston’s catching corps.
Adley Rutschman is a three-time All-Star. (AP Photo/Stephanie Scarbrough)
August 3, 2026 | 2:59 PM
2 minutes to read
The Red Sox struck again ahead of MLB’s trade deadline on Monday, with Boston reportedly acquiring catcher Adley Rutschman from the Baltimore Orioles — according to ESPN’s Jeff Passan.
According to Ian Browne of MLB.com, the Red Sox are sending Carlos Narvaez and prospects Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar, and a player to be named later to Baltimore in exchange for Rutschman.
It’s a steep cost for Rutschman, who stands as an upgrade for Boston at the catcher position entering the stretch run of the 2026 season.
The package going to the Orioles for Adley is Eyanson, Witherspoon, Azocar, Narvaez and Player to be named later.
— Ian Browne (@IanMBrowne) August 3, 2026
Rutschman stands as a significant upgrade for Boston at the catcher position entering the stretch run of the 2026 season.
Rutschman, 28, has been a stalwart for the Orioles since first arriving with the organization as the No. 1 pick in the 2019 MLB Draft.
The three-time All-Star hasn’t always lived up to his potential as a true franchise catcher — especially after some regression in both 2024 and 2025.
But in 2023, the former Oregon State standout finished ninth in AL MVP voting after slashing .277/.374/.435 with 20 home runs and 80 RBI while posting strong defensive metrics.
He’s been limited to just 67 games this season due to several injuries, but Rutschman has had a bounce-back year at the plate — slashing .251/.331/.433 with eight homers, an 11 percent walk rate, and a 14 percent strikeout rate.
Adley Rutschman now has three home runs in two games since returning from a sprained ankle!
He’s hitting .341 with a 1.120 OPS in 12 games this year
pic.twitter.com/PrTJG7zwlt
— Talkin’ Baseball (@TalkinBaseball_) April 25, 2026
Rutschman holds a high floor as a big-league catcher due to his defensive tools, pitch framing, and intangibles as a high-character leader — but his ceiling will be determined by how much production he can generate at the plate.
There’s a lot to like about what a pull hitter like Rutschman could do at Fenway Park. However, his numbers at Boston’s ballpark have been relatively pedestrian to this point with a .239 batting average, three home runs, and 15 RBI over 28 career games in Boston.
Rutschman — who is under team control through the 2027 season — is currently on the injured list due to left wrist inflammation. He is expected back soon, and could be due for a rehab appearance in the coming days as he looks to join a surging Red Sox roster.
Even with those concerns over Rutschman’s health and his production at the plate, he still represents a significant upgrade over Boston’s current catching corps of Carlos Narvaez and Connor Wong — with that duo combining for just a .219 batting average with four total home runs on the year.
Not only should Rustchman add more pop to Boston’s lineup with a low whiff rate, but that offensive upgrade doesn’t come at the cost of concerning defensive metrics — as would be the case with other rumored trade pickups like Liam Hicks or Hunter Goodman.
Conor Ryan is a staff writer covering the Bruins, Celtics, Patriots, and Red Sox for Boston.com, a role he has held since 2023.
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