The Baltimore Orioles are having a tough season, and the problems got even worse Sunday. The Orioles lost another catcher to injury, during a 4-2 loss to the New York Yankees. Maverick Handley got banged up in a collision at home plate with Yankees star Jazz Chisholm Jr., per ESPN.
Handley left the game following the collision. It's uncertain the extent of his injury, but this is not good news for Orioles fans. Baltimore is already without Adley Rutschman, who has an oblique problem. Rutschman is out until after the All-Star break in July.
“He's dealt with it fine,” Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino said about Rutschman. “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.”
The Orioles are now 33-44 on the campaign after losing Sunday to New York. Baltimore fans hope that Handley can come back quickly from his injury.
Orioles just can't catch a break this season
Article Continues BelowBaltimore fired their manager during the midst of this disappointing season. Mansolino replaced Brandon Hyde, who was relieved of his duties in May.
The Orioles have shown some signs of life under Mansolino. Baltimore has battled back in recent weeks to get their record to around 10 games under .500.
The loss of Rutschman though is a tough blow. He has been a steady presence in the club's lineup, since he started playing for Baltimore in 2022. This season he has a .227 batting average with eight home runs.
Handley seemed perfectly capable of picking up the slack that Rutschman left behind. The team may now need to find another answer if Handley can't come back in the near future.
Baltimore will get some answers at the catcher position when it plays its next game. The Orioles play again on Monday against the Texas Rangers at Camden Yards.