The Baltimore Orioles announced Saturday that catcher Adley Rutschman has been added to the seven-day concussion list, retroactive to Friday, following a strange play during Thursday’s game against the Seattle Mariners.
The injury occurred in the ninth inning when Rutschman was running toward first base on a ground ball. Mariners shortstop Colt Emerson attempted to turn a double play and released a throw inside second base at close range, striking Rutschman in the left ear. He was removed from the game, and Seattle went on to claim a 3-0 victory.
Rutschman, 28, missed Friday’s 6-5 defeat to the Dodgers and was also unavailable for Saturday’s contest in Los Angeles.
Orioles manager Craig Albernaz expressed sympathy for his catcher’s situation. “Obviously, it sucks for Adley,” Albernaz said. “Especially with concussions and head injuries, it’s tough, and especially the position he plays, with the constant foul tips and balls in the dirt and backswings, plays at the plate. So right now, Rutsch is on the concussion IL and we’ll kind of take it day by day and see where he’s at.”
This is Rutschman’s second stint on the injured list this season. He previously missed time from April 11 through April 21 due to inflammation in his left ankle. On the year, he is batting .254 with 15 doubles, eight home runs, 40 RBIs, and a .787 OPS across 54 games.
Over his career, Rutschman carries a .254 batting average with 69 home runs and 270 RBIs in 559 games. Baltimore selected him with the first overall pick in the 2019 MLB Draft out of Oregon State.
To fill the roster vacancy, the Orioles recalled outfielder Michael Siani from Triple-A Norfolk on Saturday. Siani, 26, has appeared in 160 games over parts of four seasons with the Cincinnati Reds from 2022 to 2023 and the St. Louis Cardinals from 2023 to 2025, posting a .221 average with two home runs and 20 RBIs. In 44 games this season split between Triple-A Oklahoma City, a Dodgers affiliate, and Norfolk, he batted a combined .185.
