SARASOTA, Fla. — The results in late February matter far less to Adley Rutschman than the refinement of his routine. But he won’t turn his nose up at Saturday’s performance, either.

Nor will the Orioles.

Rutschman recorded two extra-base hits, including his first home run of the spring, in Saturday’s spring training game against the Atlanta Braves. The ball leaped off Rutschman’s bat from the left side and right side of the plate, and as Baltimore attempts a teamwide rebound, Rutschman could be poised for his own.

“When Rutsch is on, it makes this lineup even better,” right-hander Kyle Bradish said. “So big bounce-back year for him. He’s looking really good right now.”

Rutschman’s struggles last year can at least be partially attributed to the oblique strains on both sides of his body. He was limited to 90 games and a .220 batting average with a .673 on-base-plus-slugging percentage — a steep decline from the numbers he posted in previous seasons.

Rutschman earned All-Star nominations in 2023 and 2024, when the catcher hit a combined 39 home runs with 159 RBIs. Rutschman didn’t know whether his oblique injuries were what sapped his power in 2025 (“I’m not really much of an anatomy expert,” he said), but he was held to nine homers and 29 RBIs.

Given those setbacks, Rutschman said, he underwent body assessments this winter to see if there are ways he can improve his durability.

“A lot of different ideas and trying to implement that routine during the season,” the 28-year-old said. “Obviously, some injuries you can’t prevent, but trying to do the most that you can to put yourself in the best possible position.”

Rutschman also cited timing issues at the plate last year, which could be another side effect of the time he spent off the field.

To improve that area, Rutschman focused on giving his hands more room to work through the zone. He moved his hands farther from his body to allow for a free swing path, particularly when hitting left-handed. The switch hitter also made a mental note to keep weight on his back hip longer, which will allow him to adjust more easily to a pitcher’s full arsenal.

Rutschman started his day with an opposite-field double against right-hander Spencer Strider. He lashed a high fastball into the left-center field gap. Two innings later, against left-hander Martín Pérez, Rutschman lifted a solo homer.

“Just with where I’m at right now, I’m just trying to get that 1% [better] each day, make sure we’re going through a good process to be at the best possible form come Day One,” Rutschman said. “So right now I’m feeling pretty good. Still trying to get timing. And I think, again, great results today. I had good process at the plate, and just trying to keep it going.”

There is a belief around the Orioles’ clubhouse that what Rutschman is showing is just the start of a bounce-back season. Third baseman Coby Mayo called him an “elite player,” and the slump that Rutschman endured in the second half of 2024 into 2025 hasn’t shaken Mayo’s belief in that.

“That’s what offseasons do. You get healthy, you get strong, you get confident, and you roll into spring and you’re letting loose,” Mayo said. “Doing that from both sides of the plate, if he’s doing that, I think we’re going to be in a really good spot.”

A surprise position

With shortstop Gunnar Henderson scheduled to leave Sunday for Team USA’s camp ahead of the World Baseball Classic, the Orioles aimed to have him receive a few innings at third base. The coaching staff told Mayo it would move him to first base once it was Henderson’s turn at third.

Instead, a few moments before it was time to take the field in the fifth inning, manager Craig Albernaz told Mayo to manage shortstop for an inning.

Baltimore Orioles first baseman Coby Mayo catches a pop fly in the third inning of a Spring Training game against the Detroit Tigers on Sunday. (Ulysses Muñoz/The Banner)

“I think they were kind of trying to play a trick on me and tell me last minute so I didn’t get too nervous,” Mayo said.

“I think the guys were laughing a little bit, seeing Coby and Gunnar swap places,” Rutschman said. “Always good to get a laugh.”

Henderson, maintaining his shortstop mentality, wound up cutting off Mayo to field a grounder. Henderson expects to shift between shortstop and third base for the U.S., so he needed the game action.

Shortstop is not an entirely new position for Mayo, even if he won’t likely ever see another professional inning there. Mayo played shortstop in high school, and he played the position for two-thirds of an inning in 2021 in the Florida Complex League.

Three in three

The hottest hitter in spring training is Vance Honeycutt, the 22-year-old prospect who keeps homering. Honeycutt has three homers in three at-bats, making late-game appearances as a substitute.

No, Honeycutt said, he’s not trying to hit homers. But, when he sees a mistake by a pitcher, he is taking advantage.

“I did a lot of good work in the offseason, and I was excited to get out here and see some pitching and get some at-bats and see what I can do,” Honeycutt said.

Honeycutt struggled in his first full season of minor league baseball. He registered a .559 OPS in 101 games for High-A Aberdeen, and he launched five homers over that time. But Honeycutt is receiving late-game chances now and is making the most of them with ample loud contact.

“It’s so much fun to watch,” Albernaz said. “Three hits, three homers. … I like that.”