The Boston Red Sox have been one of baseballs hottest teams over the past two months, and after being in last in the AL East for much of the season, the team turned it around enough to be very aggressive buyers ahead of the 2026 trade deadline.
That momentum carried on, but as of late the team are faltering, and as a result the team are 1-5 in their last six games as they face a critical weekend series with the Pittsburgh Pirates on the road. While the team are still five games up on the third Wild Card team in the American League, things can change quickly, so with the team needing a big series victory, they’ve made a change with their biggest trade deadline acquisition.
Adley Rutschman Back in the Red Sox Lineup
GettyAdley Rutschman of the Boston Red Sox.
That acquisition would be switch-hitting catcher Adley Rutschman, who the team acquired from the division rival Baltimore Orioles, and on Thursday, with Boston salvaging one victory in a four-game set with the Toronto Blue Jays, Rutschman was given a day of rest.
The Red Sox clearly planned that as just one day of rest, as they have announced their lineup for game one against the Pirates, with Rutschman not only back behind the plate, but he will now hit third in a Boston lineup that’s been one of the hottest in baseball for months.
This is a huge boost for the Red Sox lineup, as the offensive potential of this group goes way down when Rutschman isn’t playing, as the team hit Connor Wong 9th last night, with their starter hitting in the 3-hole when healthy, showing just how much of a gulf there is between the two players.
Can Boston Make Some Noise in October?
In just two games with the Red Sox, Rutschman has been solid behind the plate while going 1-6 with three walks, and with the depth this team has in Willson Contreras, Caleb Durbin and Jarren Duran among others, the addition of a switch-hitting catcher that can hit for average and power, hopes are high for this group.
Hopes get higher when Curtis Mead returns from the Injured List, and with one of the best pitching units in baseball led by a starting rotation of Sonny Gray, Ranger Suarez and Peyton Tolle, this is a team that others in the American League certainly don’t want to see when October rolls around.
Ultimately, that puts plenty of pressure on the shoulders of players like Rutschman to balance out this roster and provide consistent production at the plate, but if he can hit like he did for the Orioles this year where he posted a .251 average and a .764 OPS in 67 games before the trade, he will be worth every asset the Red Sox gave up as they look to chase another World Series in 2026.
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