Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman will be out through the All-Star break, and the team lost another catcher when Maverick Handley left Sunday's game against the New York Yankees in the second inning following a collision at the plate with Jazz Chisholm Jr.
Rutschman suffered a left oblique strain that landed him on the injured list for the first time in his career. Interim manager Tony Mansolino described Rutschman's injury as "mild" but added that the team doesn't want to do anything to aggravate the problem and keep the two-time All-Star out longer.
Mansolino said Rutschman will be out through the All-Star break, which is July 14-17, before the Orioles return to play at the Tampa Bay Rays on July 18.
"He's dealt with it fine," Mansolino said. "He wants to play. He's kind of going stir crazy. I think the fact that it is mild in nature probably makes it a little harder for him. We all know abdominal and oblique injuries, if you push those things, they can get really ugly, and instead of being three or four weeks, it could be three months.
"... In his mind he probably thinks he can possibly go out there, but obviously, we know medically that's not the smart thing to do for him right now."
Rutschman began feeling pain Friday during batting practice before he was scratched from that day's lineup then placed on the 10-day injured list Saturday after undergoing an MRI.
With two outs in the second Sunday, DJ LeMahieu lined a single to left field and Chisholm scored from second base. Colton Cowser's throw was up the third-base line. Handley moved to his left for the throw, arriving for the ball at the same time as Chisholm. The Yankees third baseman tried to veer to the inside to avoid contact, but his elbow appeared to hit Handley in the head.
After Mansolino and trainer Scott Barringer checked him out, Handley was replaced by Gary Sanchez.
Infielder Jordan Westburg will also be out for at least a few days because of a sprained left index finger sustained even though he wore a sliding mitt.
Westburg injured his finger while stealing second base in Saturday's 9-0 loss to the New York Yankees.
"Actually the sliding mitt that's supposed to protect his hand, that's the one that he did it," Mansolino said. "Doesn't know how he did it. It's been the same mitt that he's used for a couple years, talking about it this morning. Kind of crazy that he hurt his finger. That's what those things are for."
Mansolino said X-rays were negative and that the Orioles are hoping that Westburg misses only two or three days.
Rutschman, 27, is hitting .227 with eight homers and 20 RBIs in 68 games this season. He has been among the more durable catchers in the majors. After playing 113 games following his debut in May 2022, he appeared in 154 games in 2023 and 148 last season.
Westburg missed more than a month with a left hamstring strain before returning June 10. The 26-year-old is hitting .229 with seven homers and 17 RBIs in 34 games this season. He had 10 hits in his first 25 at-bats before going hitless in his next 14.
First baseman Ryan Mountcastle (strained right hamstring) also is on the injured list along with outfielders Tyler O'Neill (left shoulder impingement) and Jorge Mateo (left shoulder inflammation).
Right-hander Yennier Cano was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk after striking out the side in the seventh inning Saturday, and right-hander Yaramil Hiraldo was recalled from the Tides on Sunday.
"It starts ultimately with the amount of innings that we've had covered here recently with the bullpen," Mansolino said. "We need a fresh arm. You have a limited amount of bullpen guys that have options."
The Associated Press and Field Level Media contributed to this report.