The bounce back season experienced by Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman will land him in the All-Star Game.

Rutschman is the lone Orioles representative for the 96th Midsummer Classic, to be played July 14 at Citizens Bank Park in Philadelphia. He began the day with a .252/.324/.449 line, 16 doubles, a triple, eight home runs, 43 RBIs and 24 walks in 58 games. He’s also thrown out 37.5 percent of runners attempting to steal.

The league average is 23.5.

Rutschman was selected as a reserve in 2023 and started in 2024, the first Orioles catcher since Terry Kennedy in 1987. He’s the third Orioles catcher to make at least three All-Star teams, joining Gus Triandos in 1957, ’58 and ’59, and Matt Wieters  in 2011, ’12, ’14 and ‘16.

“It’s very special,” Rutschman told the media earlier today in Cincinnati. “It’s been a goal of mine to go to the All-Star Game and to be able to get back there, so I feel very blessed.”

Manager Craig Albernaz called a team meeting before the game and made the announcement. Rutschman said he had no idea what was happening, and teammates lined up to hug him.

“Just very fortunate to be surrounded by the guys on this team,” he said. “It’s a lot of guys who I’m close with, so it means a lot to have them be supportive and be happy.”

“I know he takes that to heart,” Albernaz told the media. “It means a lot to him and it means a lot for us. Adley, yes, his performance on the field, he deserves it. But the impact he makes on people around him, to me, is the real calling card. When you’re a catcher, you’re a servant leader by nature. And Adley does a great job of navigating our pitchers, the position-player group.

“It’s all those little things, to me, that make it really cool. Obviously, everyone sees the performance of it, and it’s well deserved on the performance side, but it’s even more deserving on the person he is.”

The Athletics’ Shea Langeliers and the Blue Jays’ Alejandro Kirk advanced to Phase 2 of voting this year. Langeliers is the starter behind the plate.

None of the Orioles on the ballot finished higher than Rutschman’s fourth. Pete Alonso was fifth, and Gunnar Henderson and Samuel Basallo sixth.

Basallo hit a two-run homer last night and belted a 406-foot three-run shot tonight to give him 14.

Rutschman has made two stops on the injured list, matching last year’s total, due to left ankle inflammation and a concussion. He’s already equaled his doubles from last season and has 14 more RBIs and one less home run in 32 fewer games.

Reserves and pitchers are chosen by players and the Commissioner’s Office. An injury could create a spot for another Oriole, which happened with Anthony Santander and Jordan Westburg in 2024.

Alonso is a five-time All-Star who still has a shot to make it again because Vladimir Guerrero Jr. declined his selection.

Alonso began the day with 19 home runs, 59 RBIs and an .802 OPS. He’s also a two-time winner of the Home Run Derby.

Ryan O’Hearn was the lone Orioles representative in 2025 as the starting designated hitter. The club had five in 2024 with Ruschman, Henderson, Santander, Westburg and starting pitcher Corbin Burnes.

Burnes signed a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks and underwent Tommy John surgery in June 2025, Westburg won’t play this season after undergoing the same procedure. Santander signed a five-year, $92.5 million deal with the Blue Jays and hasn’t played this season while recovering from February shoulder surgery.

O’Hearn was traded to the Padres at last summer’s deadline and he signed a two-year, $29 million contract with the Pirates.

The 2023 All-Star team included closer Félix Bautista, before his elbow reconstructive surgery later that year and shoulder surgery in August 2025. Rutschman, outfielder Austin Hays and reliever Yennier Cano also were All-Stars.

The Orioles had one representative between 2017-22, with the 2020 game cancelled due to COVID: second baseman Jonathan Schoop, shortstop Manny Machado, left-hander John Means, center fielder Cedric Mullins and reliever Jorge López. None of them remain in the organization.

Here are the AL starters:

C Shea Langeliers (Athletics)
DH Yordan Alvarez (Astros)
1B Vladimir Guerrero Jr. (Blue Jays)
2B Ernie Clement (Blue Jays)
3B Junior Caminero (Rays)
SS Bobby Witt Jr. (Royals)
OF Mike Trout (Angels)
OF Byron Buxton (Twins)
OF Aaron Judge (Yankees)

The 2027 All-Star Game will be played at Wrigley Field in Chicago.