The Boston Red Sox are expected to activate catcher Adley Rutschman off the injured list on Tuesday for the second of a four-game set against a team Rutschman tends to pummel - the Toronto Blue Jays.
Rutschman was the prize for the Red Sox in a busy trade deadline, as the team sent minor league right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon, minor league outfielder Enddy Azocar, catcher Carlos Narváez and a player to be named later to the Baltimore Orioles in a mega deal. Eyanson, Witherspoon and Azocar were ranked among Boston’s top five prospects by MLB Pipeline, with Eyanson in the top 50 in all of baseball.
The 28-year-old has been out of action since July 18, when he was placed on the injured list with left wrist inflammation. Rutschman had a two-game rehab stint with Triple-A Worcester over the weekend, starting at catcher and then designated hitter, going a combined 1-for-5 with a double, two runs and two RBIs. He then flew to Toronto and joined the Red Sox, who opened a four-game series against the Blue Jays on Monday night.
The first-overall pick of the 2019 MLB Draft is hitting .251 with eight home runs and 47 runs batted in this season, but has a history of lighting up the Blue Jays - which is exactly what Red Sox fans need after the team suffered a 2-1 loss in the series opener on Monday.
Rutschman blasted the first home run of his career against the Blue Jays in Toronto in 2022, and smashed two homers in a blowout win at Rogers Centre in the 2025 season opener.
Rutschman has a .254/.342/.414 slash line with 64 home runs over his 572 career games. Against the Blue Jays, those numbers are inflated to .311/.388/.573, with 14 home runs - his most against any single team.
Against teams which Rutschman has 100-or-more at-bats in his career, he has put up his biggest numbers against the Blue Jays consistently.
| Team | At-bats | Batting average | OPS | Home runs | RBI |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Blue Jays | 225 | .311 | .961 | 14 | 47 |
| Red Sox | 191 | .246 | .721 | 7 | 27 |
| Rays | 175 | .229 | .746 | 7 | 24 |
| Yankees | 173 | .272 | .727 | 2 | 11 |
| Astros | 100 | .310 | .901 | 4 | 16 |
It hasn’t historically mattered where the games take place either. Rutschman has been just as strong in Rogers Centre as he was in Oriole Park at Camden Yards, when playing against the Blue Jays.
In 30 games at Rogers Centre, Rutschman has eight home runs - his most at any stadium as a visitor - and a .311/.394/.571 slash line.
The red-hot Red Sox have won 31 of their past 39 games, but enter the second game of this series on a three-game skid. Rutschman has the perfect opportunity against an opponent he has historically dominated to get the team back in the win column.
