The Orioles begin a huge series in Boston tonight without catcher Adley Rutschman.

Rutschman was placed on the 10-day injured list this afternoon with left wrist inflammation. The move is retroactive to yesterday. This is the All-Star’s third trip to the IL this season and fifth in the last two years. He also had an ankle injury and a concussion.

Catcher Chadwick Tromp’s contract was selected today from Triple-A Norfolk. Outfielder Rudy Martin was designated for assignment to make room on the 40-man roster.

Rutschman was the designated hitter Saturday in Houston and wasn’t available yesterday.

Tromp went 2-for-3 with an RBI in his only game with the Orioles this season. The Orioles acquired Martin from the Royals on Friday for cash considerations and optioned him.

Samuel Basallo exited yesterday’s game with right shoulder discomfort and he isn’t in tonight’s lineup. However, he remains on the active roster.

Left-hander Josh Walker and outfielder Johnathan Rodríguez are on the taxi squad in Boston.

Meanwhile, this is what it looks like when hot teams collide.

The Orioles left Houston with a three-game sweep to run their winning streak to seven. They haven’t won eight in a row since July 5-16, 2023.

They have a chance tonight to move one game below .500 for the first time since April 30.

The Red Sox have strung together 13 victories in a row, two short of the franchise record. They’ve won 18 of the last 20, and they’re hosting the Orioles in a three-game series.

Boston currently owns the last Wild Card spot. The Mariners are one game back, followed by the Orioles and Twins at two.

This matchup is only the fifth since 1946 to feature teams on winning streaks of seven or more games to begin the series. There’s also Braves-Reds in 2023, Yankees-Braves in 2021, Phillies-Marlins in 2008 and Athletics-White Sox in 1975.

The combined winning streak of 20 games is the most since the Athletics (20) and Twins (one) combined for 21 in 2002 – if the Twins’ contribution counts. Otherwise, it’s the St. Louis Maroons (12) and Washington Nationals (11) on Sept. 13, 1884.

The Orioles have held opponents to three runs or fewer in each victory during their streak, the longest in a single season since 1982 (also seven). The last streak of eight was in August 1980.

Tyler O’Neill is batting cleanup and playing right field. O’Neill had a .552 OPS through June, but it’s 1.328 in July, the biggest increase in the majors, per STATS. He went through an 0-for-34 stretch versus left-handers between April and May, but he has a 1.097 OPS against southpaws since May 25.

Coby Mayo is the designated hitter. Mayo’s six home runs against lefties since May 31 are tied for most in the majors with Shohei Ohtani, Jonah Heim and Heriberto Hernandez.

Mayo is slugging .707 against left-handers, highest among players with at least 75 at-bats.

Pete Alonso moves up to second in the order behind Taylor Ward. Leody Taveras is in center field, Jeremiah Jackson is at second base and Christian Encarnacion-Strand is at third base.

Shane Baz moves up in the rotation to start tonight, with Kyle Bradish pushed back until Tuesday night. He faced the Red Sox on June 2 in Boston and allowed two runs in seven innings.

Baz is 4-1 with a 2.63 ERA, 0.743 WHIP and .153 opponent average in six career starts against the Red Sox and has a 2.92 ERA and 0.932 WHIP in four starts at Fenway Park.

Jarren Duran is 3-for-17 with a double and triple against Baz.

The Orioles bullpen has posted a 2.16 ERA this month that’s the second lowest after the Red Sox’s 1.56. The .167 opponent average is the lowest.

Cam Sanders and Grant Wolfram earned their first career saves over the weekend, the third time the Orioles had two different pitchers do it in back-to-back games after Cla Meredith and Alfredo Simon on April 25-27, 2010 and Mike Flanagan and Scott McGregor on May 7-8, 1977.

The Orioles lost two of three to the Red Sox in an April series at Camden Yards and won two of three in a June series in Boston. The Red Sox fired manager Alex Cora and five coaches in Baltimore.

The Orioles have won or tied each of the last three series at Fenway Park, their longest streak since going six straight between 2016-17.

The Orioles will see left-hander Payton Tolle after he shut them out over six innings on June 3. He was removed after 3 2/3 innings in his last start before the break because the Red Sox want to manage his innings.

Right-handers are hitting .201/.279/.330 against Tolle this season and left-handers are hitting .223/.252/.379. He has a 3.38 ERA and 1.195 WHIP in eight home starts and a 2.83 ERA and 0.944 WHIP in seven road starts. Overall, he’s posted a 3.11 ERA and 1.071 WHIP with 87 strikeouts and eight home runs surrendered in 84 innings.

The Orioles are 12-17 in games started by opposing left-handers.

Willson Contreras has a career .718 slugging percentage against the Orioles, third highest among active players in a minimum 75 plate appearances.

The Red Sox have improved to 21-27 at home, compared to a 29-21 road record. They have a plus-45 run differential. The Orioles are at minus-13.

Boston’s 13-game winning streak is tied for second longest in division history behind the 1973 Orioles (14), per STATS.

Among the other teams in the American League East to win 13 in a row are the 1999 and 1978 Orioles.

The Red Sox have posted a 1.75 ERA during their streak and opponents are batting .194 with a .533 OPS.

For the Orioles
Taylor Ward LF
Pete Alonso 1B
Gunnar Henderson SS
Tyler O’Neill RF
Coby Mayo DH
Leody Taveras CF
Jeremiah Jackson 2B
Christian Encarnacion-Strand 3B
Sam Huff C

Shane Baz RHP

The Orioles were hit by four pitches yesterday to tie the franchise record. It also happened on  June 28, 2006 in Game 2 of a doubleheader against the Phillies, May 10, 2001 against the Rays at Tropicana Field, Aug. 17, 2000 against the White Sox, and Aug. 9, 1968 against the Angels.

For the Red Sox
Anthony Seigler 2B
Ceddanne Rafaela CF
Wilyer Abreu RF
Willson Contreras 1B
Masataka Yoshida DH
Caleb Durbin 3B
Jarren Duran LF
Connor Wong C
Tsung-Che Cheng SS

Payton Tolle LHP

The Red Sox still haven’t announced their starter for Tuesday.