The Baltimore Orioles welcomed back two key players Sunday, activating catcher Adley Rutschman and right fielder Dylan Beavers and inserting them directly into the starting lineup for the series finale against the Washington Nationals at home.
Rutschman, slotted third in the batting order, had spent time on the 7-day concussion injured list after being struck in the head by a wayward throw on June 18. He was placed on the IL two days later, on June 20. The 28-year-old two-time All-Star enters Sunday’s game with a .254 batting average, eight home runs, and 40 RBIs across 54 games this season.
Beavers, batting sixth Sunday, had been sidelined since May 11 due to a right oblique strain. The 24-year-old worked his way back through a six-game rehab stint, seeing action at both the Triple-A and Double-A levels. A first-round selection by Baltimore in the 2022 draft, Beavers is posting a .243 average with two home runs and 12 RBIs in 33 games during his first full major league season.
To clear two spots on the active roster, the Orioles optioned utility player Jeremiah Jackson to Triple-A Norfolk and designated catcher Sam Huff for assignment. The move to keep three catchers on the roster — Rutschman, Samuel Basallo, and Chadwick Tromp — drove the decision to send Jackson down.
Jackson, 26, had been with the team all season, batting .251 with seven home runs and 32 RBIs over 66 games. Huff, 28, hit .174 in nine appearances but earned praise for his work managing the pitching staff and his defensive contributions.
Tromp, 31, made his first Baltimore appearance of 2026 on Saturday, going 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored in a loss to the Nationals. Basallo, 21, has been one of the team’s steadier bats, hitting .254 with 12 home runs and 36 RBIs in 70 games heading into Sunday.
