Rutschman out of lineup again with elbow issue that could linger for rest of season

BOSTON -- When Adley Rutschman wasn’t in the lineup on Tuesday night against the Mariners after missing the series opener, it marked the second time in less than a week that interim manager Chad Tracy gave him a multi-day break due to a hyperextended right elbow.

While Tracy said that “alarming” isn’t how he would describe what Rutschman is dealing with, his situation will have to be monitored, perhaps for the remainder of the season.

“I think so,” said Tracy. “It’s possible, but I don't know. We get [him] these rest periods, and you may get to a point where he says, ‘Hey, [I’m good],’ and then you're off to the races. So, it's just day to day for right now. Make sure we take care of it and make sure we have him available throughout the season, and hopefully we do it the right way. Maybe we get to a point where he feels really, really good.”

Rutschman first injured his elbow on a swing during the first game of the team's series against the Marlins on Aug. 24 at loanDepot park. The soreness caused him to miss the final two games of the series. The Red Sox had an off-day the following day.

Boston’s key acquisition at the Aug. 3 Trade Deadline, Rutschman returned to play three of the four games in the Yankees series over the weekend and collected three hits in the first game of a doubleheader on Saturday.

Rutschman recently had imaging, which makes the Red Sox feel more confident about where he is at.

“He did, and there was nothing on there that we didn't expect to see,” Tracy said. “It’s kind of exactly what we expected. At times he might feel it, but like I said, he did it in New York the other day, felt it throughout, and got three hits, was able to get through [it] just fine. We just have to watch it.”

The elbow might not be helping in Rutschman’s quest to get into a groove offensively. Since coming over from the Orioles, the three-time All-Star has struggled at the plate, hitting just .170 with a .500 OPS in 15 games.

However, even when Rutschman isn’t hitting, he has enormous value defensively, considering his rapport and leadership with the pitching staff and his blocking and throwing skills.

Tracy said it’s possible Rutschman will return for Wednesday’s 4:10 p.m. ET finale vs. Seattle.

After that, the Red Sox head to Baltimore for a four-game series, which could be emotional for both Rutschman and Orioles fans given his long ties to the organization.