Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman has had an undeniable impact on his team this season.
When he was called up from Triple-A in May, his team was 16-24.
Right now, the birds are 77-71, which means they have a solid, over-.500 record with Rutschman on board.
He has changed the O’s culture and made them winners: even if they are unlikely to make the playoffs, Rutschman has transformed the franchise.
He has been outstanding with the glove, he is a terrific framer, he can call games, and has a cannon for an arm.
His leadership skills are also not in question.
However, it’s his bat from a premium position the one attribute that has made him a Rookie of the Year candidate in the American League.
On Wednesday, he played his 100th game.
He ranks highly in franchise history with his offensive output over those 100 games.
Star power 🌟 pic.twitter.com/1axah8Cmti
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) September 22, 2022
Impressive Numbers For A Rookie Catcher
Hitting 100 doubles in 100 games is actually an impressive tally and means he is on a pace of around 50 over a full 162-game season.
But Rutschman is more than just doubles.
He also has 11 home runs and a .254/.362/.443 line.
That OBP is absolutely gorgeous, and just what the Orioles lineup needed: someone who could get on base consistently.
He has produced 32 percent more than the average MLB hitters (132 wRC+) and by virtue of his obvious offensive and defensive excellence, he has 4.4 Wins Above Replacement, or WAR.
That is absolutely amazing.
If it wasn’t for Seattle Mariners outfielder Julio Rodriguez, we would be talking about Rutschman as the most obvious AL Rookie of the Year candidate.
He is the reason why Orioles fans are starting to believe again.
That’s huge.
