Truly Adley Deeply

Adley Rutschman (BOS): 2-3, 2 HR, 2 R, 2 RBI.

Since being acquired by the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline, Adley Rutschman has had a quiet start in Boston. Going into last night’s game, Rutschman was hitting below the Mendoza Line with a 41 wRC+ and 85.0 mph average exit velocity. Yesterday, the former Baltimore Oriole added a pair of dingers against his old team to give the Red Sox the win. The first of the two solo homers was a shallow fly ball that didn’t even qualify as a barrel, which Rutschman followed with a 103.6 mph no-doubter in the sixth inning.

At first glance, a .205 BABIP with his new team makes this performance look like a turning point for some positive regression. However, since the deadline, Rutschman has recorded a 122 Pitch Runs value that suggests he’s consistently faced lower-quality pitches. It’s far more likely that the low BABIP is a direct result of his inability to generate hard-hit balls right now. Rutschman’s current 33.0% hard-hit rate and 85.4 mph average exit velocity as a member of the Red Sox would both be career lows by a significant margin.

Fenway Park should be a solid landing spot for Rutschman long-term, but the 28-year-old catcher will need to recapture his power-hitting ways to take full advantage. His defense will give him every opportunity to do so with an everyday role in the heart of the order, leading to no shortage of plate appearances, but he may need a chance to reset in the offseason and attempt a bounce-back campaign in 2027.

 

Let’s see how the other hitters did Thursday:

Carter Jensen (KCR): 3-4, 2B, 3B, HR, 3 R, 3 RBI.

For those looking for optimism at the catcher position, rookie Carter Jensen hit his 22nd home run of the season yesterday and finished a single shy of a cycle. Jensen put his power tool on display with a 110.2 mph RBI triple in the third and a towering 108.4 mph, 440-foot two-run homer in the fifth to lift the Kansas City Royals over the Marlins. The young catcher will almost certainly finish behind Munetaka Murakami and Kazuma Okamoto in the AL Rookie of the Year race, but has proven himself as one of the top catchers in baseball.

 

Pete Crow-Armstrong (CHC): 1-3, HR, R, 2 RBI.

Chicago Cubs outfielder Pete Crow-Armstrong continued his MVP-level campaign last night with his 39th homer (second only to Kyle Schwarber, 40). It’s hard to believe this is the same player who started the season with only seven home runs, a .237/.325/.388 triple slash, and 101 wRC+ through May 31st. Crow-Armstrong has rewarded fans who were patient with a hot summer, as he has hit 15 home runs with a .271/.361/.682 triple slash and 178 wRC+ since August 1st. Baseball truly is a game of hot and cold streaks.

 

Luis Robert Jr. (BAL): 1-3, HR, R, RBI.

If you’re a New York Mets fan, you may want to look away now.

Just days after being waived by the Mets, Luis Robert Jr. has already made waves with his new team. In his second game in an Orioles uniform, Robert hit his first home run in Baltimore and his 10th of the season, despite only reaching the 60-game mark last night. In addition to the homer, Robert demolished a two-run double in his Orioles debut. Robert has started both of his games in the top half of the lineup, and his ceiling makes him worth the risk for both the organization and for fantasy managers entering the postseason.

This Baltimore offense has the highest team wRC+ of any lineup the 28-year-old has been a part of since 2021.

 

Heriberto Hernández (MIA): 1-3, HR, R, RBI.

The Miami Marlins have shocked many this year and are currently sitting just outside of a postseason berth. One of the key contributors to their surprise performance has been a breakout season from Heriberto Hernández. Yesterday marked Hernández’s 23rd home run of the year as he put the Marlins on board early in the loss. The power is real with a 91.3 mph average exit velocity, 13.8% barrel rate, 47.4% hard hit rate, and 74.5 mph bat speed.

 

Jose Altuve (HOU): 1-4, HR, R, 2 RBI.

While his best years are certainly behind him, Jose Altuve hit his 15th home run of the season last night to give the Houston Astros an early lead. The 36-year-old has not only seen his power decline since the start of 2025, but his efficiency. Altuve has turned his bottom-of-the-league average exit velocity into home runs over the last few years by being efficient, but he’s cratered this season with a 31.9% launch angle sweet spot (24th percentile).

Even at a position as shallow as second base, Altuve is best left on the waiver wire as he sits outside the Top 30 2B in most scoring formats. It’s time to tip your cap and take a chance on a young middle infielder with September call ups underway.

 

Brett Bateman (TOR): 3-5, R.

The key piece of the Kevin Gausman trade, Brett Bateman has caught lightning in a bottle since his major league debut. While power isn’t a part of the young outfielder’s game, Bateman has been a contact machine with a .330/.380/.396 line in the big leagues. The 24-year-old has stepped right into Daulton Varsho’s shoes as the Toronto Blue Jays‘ everyday centerfielder and could see even more plate appearances if he holds down the role as the Jays’ leadoff hitter. Bateman has more speed than he’s showcased yet with only three stolen bases in 102 plate appearances, but a 28.8 ft/s sprint speed (88th percentile).

Playoff teams who are set at HR and RBI, should consider Bateman as a stash candidate.

 

Jonah Cox (SFG): 0-3, R, BB, SB.

I rarely include a player who went 0-for-3 in this column, but San Francisco Giants outfielder Jonah Cox has quietly delivered in his rookie campaign. Last night marked his ninth stolen base in the majors and 43rd since he started the year in Double-A. Cox’s speed is undeniable as his 30.0 ft/s sprint speed lands him eighth in baseball, only one tick behind Bobby Witt Jr..

Cox’s contact skills are controversial as he’s posted a .278/.325/.528 triple slash in the majors and a .415/.468/.647 in the minors earlier this year. However, those clips have come with a .471 BABIP in the majors and a .488 BABIP in the minors. While a sky-high BABIP has long been Cox’s calling card, and this is well within his career norms, it’ll be interesting to see how he continues to settle into the majors. Regardless of where that BABIP settles, a 42.5% strikeout rate certainly won’t be sustainable, and the Giants will have to rein him in before we see a true breakout from the young outfielder.