
The Baltimore Orioles have determined the initial timeline of return for injured catcher Adley Rutschman.
Interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters, including from the Baltimore Sun, on Sunday that Rutschman will be out until after the All-Star break.
The O’s moved Rutschman to the 10-day injured list on Saturday with a left oblique strain. The move was retroactive to June 20, which means he could return as early as the end of the month.
But the Orioles are being cautious. Mansolino said the starting catcher underwent an MRI and the strain is believed to be mild. The extended time off will give Rutschman more time to heal and to avoid re-injury.
That means Baltimore will go with Gary Sánchez and Maverick Hundley at catcher for the next few weeks.
Rutschman will miss 19 more games, starting with Sunday’s finale against the New York Yankees. After the trip to New York, the Orioles return home to host the Texas Rangers and the Tampa Bay Rays.
Following that set, the Orioles go on the road to face Texas and Atlanta to start the month of July. After that, Baltimore hosts the New York Mets and the Miami Marlins leading up to the All-Star Game on July 15 in Atlanta.
The Orioles start the second half of the season on July 18 at Tampa Bay.Rutschman was slashing .227/.319/.372 with a .691 OPS in 68 games before the injury. He also had eight home runs and 20 RBI.
After a sluggish start to the season, his numbers were picking up. He had a .309 batting average in June with three home runs and nine RBI.
The extended rest also presents the possibility of Baltimore promoting top prospect Samuel Basallo from Triple-A, if it doesn’t get the needed offense from Sanchez or Handley.