Category: Blue Jays

Adley Rutschman sends a clear message ahead of highly anticipated Red Sox debut

By: @OOSSports

Adley Rutschman appears ready to finally take the field for the Boston Red Sox.

The Red Sox plan to have their prized trade deadline acquisition make his Red Sox debut Tuesday against the Toronto Blue Jays at Rogers Centre, barring a late setback. Rutschman worked with scheduled starter Patrick Sandoval in the bullpen Monday as he prepared to catch his first game for his new club.

The debut will end a layoff that has kept Rutschman out of major-league action since July 18 because of left wrist inflammation.

“For me, it’s just excitement,” Rutschman said before Monday’s 2-1 loss to Toronto, via MassLive. “I miss playing. I want to be out there. To be able to go out and play baseball is such a blessing. You realize that when you’re on the IL and not able to play.”

Adley Rutschman ready to begin new chapter with Red Sox

Boston made one of the deadline’s most fascinating moves by acquiring Rutschman from the division-rival Baltimore Orioles.

The Red Sox sent catcher Carlos Narváez, highly regarded pitching prospect Anthony Eyanson, outfielder Enddy Azocar, pitcher Kyson Witherspoon, and a player to be named later to Baltimore.

Rutschman arrives with a .215 batting average, eight home runs, and 47 RBI this season. Those numbers represent a disappointing offensive campaign by his standards, but Boston acquired the former No. 1 overall pick with the expectation that he can make an impact down the stretch and beyond.

Before joining the major-league club, Rutschman tested his wrist during a rehab assignment with Boston’s Triple-A affiliate over the weekend. He caught five innings and faced live pitching as he worked toward clearance.

“I’m feeling really good right now,” Rutschman said. “Just seeing live pitching, for the most part, and catching guys, making sure the wrist is feeling good, holding up with that workload and seeing pitches.”

Red Sox add Rutschman for crucial stretch run

Rutschman’s arrival comes as Boston attempts to convert its summer surge into a postseason berth.

The Red Sox enter Tuesday at 64-54 and sit third in the AL East. Although Boston has dropped three consecutive games, that skid immediately followed a nine-game winning streak that helped transform its position in the playoff race.

Now Rutschman gives the lineup another potential difference-maker for the stretch run.

His first assignment should come against a familiar AL East opponent in Toronto, but nearly everything else will feel different. Rutschman spent his entire major-league career with Baltimore before the deadline deal sent him elsewhere within the division.

The veteran catcher already likes what he has seen from his new clubhouse.

“This team’s rolling,” Rutschman said. “This locker room, the guys are really tight.

“You can tell. I’m just excited to be part of it.”

After weeks away from the field and a deadline trade that changed the direction of his career, Rutschman finally appears ready to become part of Boston’s postseason push.

Thanks for reading OutOfSightSports. Follow @OOSSports across social media for the latest sports news, analysis, and viral moments. Then check out the latest episode of the OutOfSightSports YouTube series, where we highlight five of the worst sports trades since the turn of the century.

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Shane Bieber to debut for Blue Jays on Friday after long injury rehab

The Toronto Blue Jays are set to welcome a major addition to their pitching staff. Manager John Schneider confirmed that Shane Bieber will make his debut for the club on Friday against Miami, as first reported by Mitch Bannon of The Athletic.

Bieber, currently on the 60-day injured list, will need to be added to the active roster before that start. Toronto already has a vacancy on its 40-man roster, meaning only an active roster move will be required.

A high-stakes acquisition

The Blue Jays acquired Bieber at the trade deadline despite the right-hander not yet completing his recovery from Tommy John surgery in 2024. The move was a gamble, but the organization hopes the former Cy Young winner can anchor a playoff rotation otherwise lacking a clear ace.

Toronto’s staff features proven veterans like Kevin Gausman, José Berrios, Chris Bassitt, Max Scherzer, and Eric Lauer. While the group is solid, Scherzer is pitching at 41-years-old with a lingering thumb issue, and Lauer, despite posting a 2.76 ERA this year, has limited big-league experience the past two seasons. Adding a healthy version of Bieber could change the dynamic entirely.

Bieber’s career arc

Bieber won the American League Cy Young Award in 2020, when he dominated hitters with a 1.63 ERA and a staggering 41.1% strikeout rate during the shortened season. Though his production dipped in subsequent years, he remained a frontline starter.

In 2022, he logged 200 innings with a 2.88 ERA but saw his strikeout rate decline to 25%. By 2023, signs of elbow trouble surfaced, and his ERA climbed to 3.80 before Tommy John surgery shut him down early in 2024.

Now, after months of rehab, Bieber has shown promising signs in the minors. Across 29 innings, he posted a 1.86 ERA with a 34.6% strikeout rate, though his most recent Triple-A outings were less dominant, with his strikeout rate dipping to 24.6%. His fastball velocity has averaged 92.8 mph — a slight tick above recent years but below his 2020 peak of 94.1 mph.

What to expect in Toronto

The Blue Jays aren’t asking Bieber to be perfect right away. With a postseason berth all but secured, the focus is on having him healthy and sharp for October. Schneider has not committed to a six-man rotation, leaving open the possibility that someone shifts to long relief.

The upcoming weeks will be vital for Bieber as he regains form while also weighing his contractual future. At season’s end, he must decide between exercising a $16 million player option for 2026 or opting for a $4 million buyout and testing free agency. His performance down the stretch could make that decision much clearer.

For now, all eyes will be on Friday night in Miami, when Bieber finally makes his long-awaited debut in a Blue Jays uniform.

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