Triple-A Norfolk manager Buck Britton received a text on the afternoon of Friday, May 20, just hours before the Tides’ game that evening. It was an order from Orioles general manager Mike Elias to sit his best player.
Immediately, Britton suspected Adley Rutschman, the consensus No. 1 prospect in baseball, could finally be headed to Baltimore. Rutschman, the No. 1 overall selection in the 2019 MLB Draft, had his big league debut delayed after a strained triceps early in spring training sidelined him for more than a month.
Rutschman reportedly had a legitimate shot to be on the Orioles’ Opening Day roster if not for the setback, but instead began his age-24 season at High-A Aberdeen in late April to as part of a short rehab stint. Now, Britton thought, the day he’d get to tell Rutschman that Baltimore awaited was here.
“All right, this is the moment,” Britton said on Glenn Clark Radio May 25. “He’s telling me not to play him.”
The 36-year-old manager filled out his lineup that night without Rutschman’s name on it. Now, he was tasked with spinning the move to Rutschman in an effort to keep the catcher unaware of the bigger news Britton thought would be coming.
In the weeks before his promotion, the Orioles and Elias reportedly wanted to see Rutschman catch multiple games consecutively, a sign that his injured triceps was fully healed, before joining Baltimore. He was behind the plate for three games in a row entering that night’s game.
“I don’t want to burn you out,” Britton told Rutschman. “Take a day today, but be ready to come off the bench if we need a big hit.”
The Tides were on the road, playing in Charlotte for the fourth game of a six-game series. Norfolk won the game, 9-8, thanks to a Robert Neustrom run on a passed ball in the 10th inning. Rutschman was never needed.
Britton had another text waiting for him when he got to his phone after the game. Again from Elias, this one told Britton that Rutschman was on his way to Baltimore the following day. The announcement of the news that Britton figured was coming would be made following the Orioles’ game that night.
To the inconvenience of the manager, Baltimore’s battle versus Tampa Bay lasted 13 innings. In a back-and-forth affair, the Orioles continued to answer the Rays’ attempts at pulling away. Both teams scored twice in the 10th inning, once in the 11th and were held scoreless in the 12th before Rougned Odor’s two-run homer in the 13th ended the 4 hour, 22 minute game.
“My job was to keep Adley Rutschman at the ballpark an hour and a half after the game for the Oriole game to finish without tipping him off,” Britton said.
Britton’s final task of the long night was to tell Rutschman he had reached the major leagues. Even after all the stops Britton pulled earlier that day to keep Rutschman oblivious, he worried Rutschman was starting to catch on.
The manager sported a towel around his neck. A nervous Britton began to sweat leading up to the moment when he’d give Rutschman the good news.
Like he did hours earlier when he had to provide a reason for benching his best player, Britton devised another plan that wouldn’t tip his hand to bring Rutschman into his office. Britton had his strength coach purposefully run into Rutschman (while making it appear accidental) on his way out to relay that Britton wanted to see him before he left for the night.
The next morning, the Orioles’ social media accounts posted a now-viral video of the moment Rutschman received the news. He and Britton, with the towel still draped around his neck, can be seen entering Britton’s office to chat.
A one-minute conversation that started as an explainer for why Britton gave Rutschman the night off ended with his teammates spilling through the doorway after Britton told him he’d be playing in Baltimore the next night.
“You get one time to call Adley Rutschman up for the first time,” Britton said. “I joke around and hopefully when that bronze statue is getting put up in front of Camden Yards, I’ll be there with that towel around my neck.”
For more from Britton, listen to the full interview here:
Photo Credit: Scott Sears