(Photo by Paul Rutherford/Getty Images)
Thursday was an exciting day for baseball.
For the first time since last fall, meaningful MLB games were played, and there certainly was a lot of excitement, from Adam Wainwright singing the National Anthem to Anthony Volpe making his MLB debut.
The Baltimore Orioles certainly had a fun Opening Day.
Catcher and AL Rookie of the Year finalist Adley Rutschman went 5-for-5 with a home run, four singles, a walk, and four RBI as the Orioles defeated the Boston Red Sox by a final score of 10-9.
According to Jeff Passan of ESPN, Rutschman is the first catcher since at least the 1900 season to have picked up five hits on Opening Day.
Adley Rutschman has been to the plate six times today, and he has reached base six times. He’s 5 for 5 — a first-inning home run followed by four singles — with a walk and four RBIs. He is the first catcher with five hits on Opening Day since at least 1900, per @ESPNStatsInfo.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) March 30, 2023
Rutschman certainly had a day to remember, leading the Orioles to an Opening Day win.
And he made some history in the process.
Last season, Rutschman hit for a .254 average with 13 home runs, 42 RBI, 101 hits, and an OPS of .806.
He finished second behind Seattle Mariners star Julio Rodriguez, who earned American League Rookie of the Year honors, and ahead of Cleveland Guardians star Steven Kwan.
But he led the way for the Orioles on Thursday as they held on to defeat the Red Sox and kick off the 2023 season, which is expected to be an interesting year in Baltimore as they look to build off of their surprising 83-win season in 2022.
After losing 110 games in 2021, Baltimore ultimately finished just three games behind the Tampa Bay Rays for the third AL Wild Card spot.
Winning Opening Day is a good start, and Rutschman looks ready to follow up his rookie season with more success.
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