Adley Rutschman has never won a single playoff game in his career

In 2019, the Baltimore Orioles selected Adley Rutschman with the first overall pick in the amateur draft. And in 2022, he made his Major League debut.

For a few years, his progress was incredible. He got the Orioles back on track—not all by himself, but…

Then, starting in 2024, he began to slow down. The Orioles ran out of steam, and the catcher wasn't as good as he used to be.

This wasn't a coincidence.

Then, finally, Baltimore decided to trade him away, and the Red Sox paid a hefty price to acquire him two months ago.

He hasn't helped the Red Sox take it to the next level.

Throughout all those years, one thing stands out: Rutschman's teams didn't win a single playoff game.

In 2023, 2024, and 2026, the Orioles and the Red Sox were swept in the division series or the wild-card series.

Is it all the catcher's fault? Of course not.

But when you look at his numbers, it's clear that against the Rangers, the Royals, and the Yankees, he didn't dominate.

Offensively, he's batting .107 and his OPS is .281. Not his batting average—his OPS!

The Red Sox have every right to expect more going forward—just like the Orioles did back in the day.

A franchise catcher is a game-changer. And for the past few years, that's not how Rutschman has been developing.

He's been criticized in the playoffs by both of his organizations. And now, with one year left until free agency, we'll see if he can redeem himself in 2027 for the Sox, who paid a high price to acquire him.

• Enjoy the show.

• Will he play this weekend?

Created by humans, assisted by AI.