It’s the final month of the regular season, and the pressure cooker is cranked to eleven for some big-name stars. This isn’t just about finishing strong, it’s about chasing history, making long-awaited comebacks, or simply trying to get back to being the player everyone expects. Boston made a huge splash at the trade deadline for three-time All-Star catcher Rutschman, but rival executives who tried and failed to get him might be feeling pretty good about that now.
Boston’s Big Trade Swing Is Already Busted
Rutschman’s been sidelined with a hyperextended elbow, a *new* injury on top of what he was already rehabbing from when he arrived in Boston. Talk about bad luck, right? No ligament damage, thankfully, but the Red Sox are gonna be watching him super close the rest of the year. He missed two games in Miami, played three of four against the Yankees, and then completely missed all three games against *our* Mariners when they rolled through town. Think about that: Boston gave up a huge chunk of their pitching-prospect pipeline to Baltimore on August 3 for this guy, and he’s only played in 15 games since then. You gotta wonder if those rival executives who tried and failed to get him are high-fiving right now.
When he *has* managed to step up to the plate for Boston, it hasn’t been pretty. He’s batting just .170 with one home run, one double, and four RBI in 59 plate appearances. The pop just isn’t there, man, which is wild for a three-time All-Star. All eyes are on this catcher to see if he can make *any* meaningful impact as the season winds down. Boston needs him to wake up, fast.
Wheeler’s Command Just Vanished, Phillies’ Hopes Are Slipping
And then there’s Wheeler over in Philly. Dude’s usually lights out, a true ace for the Phillies ever since they signed him in 2020. He’s 36 now, but usually that doesn’t matter for his level of command. But this second half? Yikes, it’s been rough. He’s rocking a brutal 6.27 ERA and 1.58 WHIP in eight starts and 37 ⅓ innings since the All-Star break. Seriously, that’s his worst second-half ERA in his entire 12-year career. He’s given up 26 earned runs in those eight starts alone, which is more than the 22 earned runs he allowed in 15 starts in the *first* half, where he posted a terrific 2.13 ERA in 93 innings pitched. What gives?
It’s tough to figure out what’s going on with his command. He’s typically so excellent, but he’s been walking way too many batters lately. He tried adjusting his arm slot in his last outing against the Angels, which seemed to help a bit, but he still walked three guys and even drilled Mike Trout. The Phillies’ World Series hopes are tied directly to the strength of their starting rotation, and that means Wheeler has to get back to being dominant. He’s got about a handful of starts left this month to find that groove before October, and the clock is seriously ticking.
These guys are under the microscope for a reason. It’s not about how you start the season, but how you finish, right? The final month is brutal, and for players like Rutschman and Wheeler, every single outing, every at-bat, matters more than ever. Their teams need them now to step up, and everyone in baseball is watching to see who rises to the occasion. The postseason picture is getting clearer, and these performances could absolutely shape how their clubs finish the year. It’s gut-check time, folks.
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by Fox Sports.
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