BOSTON -- The Boston Red Sox will look to win a series against the Seattle Mariners in Wednesday afternoon's rubber match at Fenway Park. When they do, they'll be without the services of All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman, who will miss his third consecutive game as he nurses an elbow injury.  After acquiring Rutschman in a trade deadline blockbuster with the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for prospects Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon and Enddy Azocar, it hasn't been the start anyone had hoped for Rutschman in a Red Sox uniform, but is it time to be concerned yet? 

When he was acquired by the Red Sox, Rutschman was on the injured list, working his way back from left wrist inflammation. After a brief rehab appearance in Worcester, he was activated on Aug. 11, joining the team in Toronto. Since being activated, it's been a slow start at the plate as the 28-year-old has hit just .170/.254/.245/.500 in 15 games, while striking out 25 percent of the time, a 10 percent rise from his time in Baltimore. 

After missing three weeks with the wrist injury, Rutschman has looked incredibly passive at the plate, swinging at just 35.7 percent of pitches he sees and 50.6 percent of the pitches in the zone, both drastic drop-offs from his first 67 games of the season, signaling that he is still looking to get his timing down. 

To make matters more frustrating for the Red Sox, Rutschman will be a free agent after the 2027 season, which remains in jeopardy as a result of the ongoing labor dispute between MLB's owners and the Players' Union. If games are in fact missed in 2027 and Rutschman continues to struggle down the stretch, Baltimore could become the beneficiary of one of the more lopsided deals in recent memory, as Azocar, Eyanson and Witherspoon have all thrived during their short time in the Baltimore farm system. 

Red Sox interim manager Chad Tracy met with the media ahead of Wednesday's finale, telling reporters, including Alex Speier of the Boston Globe, that an MRI did not reveal any structural issues and that the team wasn't concerned that the backstop would require a trip to the injured list. MLB.com's Ian Browne added that Tracy was "hopeful" that Rutschman would return to the lineup on Thursday as the Red Sox kick off a crucial four-game weekend series with the Baltimore Orioles. 

Tracy did, however, tell WEEI's 'Rich and Ken with Ted Johnson' show on Tuesday that the team would have to monitor Rutschman's elbow for the remainder of the 2026 season.

The Red Sox are 75-64 and in third place in the American League East.