It's no secret that Adley Rutschman has played a pivotal role in the Baltimore Orioles' success. What may not be known, however, is that the Orioles haven't been swept in 76 consecutive series since promoting Rutschman to the big league roster. That feat is the longest since the 1942-1944 St. Louis Cardinals, according to MLB Network on Twitter.

The streak was on the verge of coming to an end on Thursday. Baltimore trailed their home series versus the Houston Astros 2-0, but rebounded on Thursday to earn a 5-4 victory. The Orioles' ability to avoid sweeps has been crucial. The O's currently lead the AL East by 2.5 games and their 71-44 record is the best in the American League.

Orioles, Adley Rutschman's success

Adley Rutschman was a highly-regarded prospect in the Orioles' farm system prior to getting called up in 2022. He faced plenty of pressure and expectations, as many people around the MLB world referred to Rutschman as the future face of the franchise. Additionally, Rutschman has even drawn comparisons to former great hitting catchers such as Joe Mauer and Buster Posey.

Rutschman was named to his first All-Star team in 2023. He's currently slashing .274/.372/.433 with an .805 OPS and 15 home runs. Those numbers would be respectable for any player, but they are especially impressive given that Rutschman is a catcher. In an era where the offense of catchers has diminished, Rutschman is trying to change that narrative.

There's no question that Baltimore wouldn't be where they are without Rutschman. Despite playing in a loaded AL East division, the Orioles have surpassed expectations and will have a strong chance of winning the division title.