Adley Rutschman is making waves in Baltimore once again.
Despite missing 11 games due to left ankle inflammation, he has appeared healthier this season.
Rutschman’s Impressive Stats
Rutschman’s current slash line is .304/.360/.565.
He also has an on-base plus slugging percentage of .925. His OPS+ is at 160, according to Baseball Reference, and his wRC+ (weighted runs created plus) is 158, per FanGraphs.
MLB.com defines OPS+ as a way of normalising a player’s on-base plus slugging percentage across the entire league. They also state that wRC+ measures a hitter’s overall offensive value compared to the league average.
Rutschman is performing 58-60 points better than the average MLB hitter, considering an OPS+ or wRC+ of 100 is roughly league average.
Shohei Ohtani of the Los Angeles Dodgers secured the 2025 National League Most Valuable Player award with a 181 OPS+ and 172 wRC+. Aaron Judge of the New York Yankees clinched the AL MVP with a 211 OPS+ and a 204 wRC+.
Improvements in Key Hitting Metrics
This season, Rutschman’s line drive percentage is 29.9%, a notable increase from 2024’s 22.5% when he was an All-Star.
His hard hit percentage has also reached a career-high of 45.3%.
His Baseball Savant metrics further highlight his increased production. His expected weighted on-base average is .350, his expected batting average is .278, and his expected slugging percentage is .465, all considered high marks.
According to Baseball Savant, expected weighted on-base average tells the story of a player’s season based on the quality and amount of contact, not outcomes.
Rutschman boasts very good marks in hard hit % (45.3%), sweet spot percentage (40%), squared up percentage (30.8), chase rate (26.5%), whiff percentage (12.7%), and strikeout percentage (13.5%).
Performance Against Different Pitches
Rutschman has improved against every pitch type. He is now batting .313 with a .594 slugging percentage this season, compared to a .245 batting average and .453 slugging percentage against four-seam fastballs last year.
He is also hitting changeups better, improving from a .122 batting average and .195 slugging percentage. The same is true for cutters (.205 BA and .385 SLG in 2025 vs. a .333 BA and .520 SLG in 2026) and sweepers (.143 BA and .143 SLG in 2025 vs. a .375 BA and .500 SLG in 2026).
Impact of Position Flexibility
The ability for Rutschman to split time between catcher and designated hitter with Samuel Basallo has been important for his health. While his batting average as a designated hitter has been significantly below the Mendoza line at .083, his numbers at catcher (.321) look strong.
Rutschman’s wRC+ as a catcher this season is 178.
Rutschman is mashing in middle and high leverage situations with a 166 and 22.
His moniker of “Adley Clutchman” is at the forefront for his 2026 campaign.