Lincoln Zdunich
To say that the Baltimore Orioles have struggled this year would be an understatement. The organization had its most productive offseason in quite some time, trading for pitcher Shane Baz and outfielder Taylor Ward while signing free agent first baseman Pete Alonso alongside pitchers Chris Bassitt and Zack Eflin. Those moves were intended to bring the O’s closer to contention. The signing of Alonso was especially exciting for Baltimore fans who have been hungry for October baseball. The franchise has spent the last few years struggling despite an incredibly talented young core.
Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman paved the way for a 2024 playoff appearance before the O’s were swept in the AL Wild Card by the Kansas City Royals. Since then, Jackson Holliday has joined the fold despite struggling at the beginning of his MLB career. But, until this offseason, the club was missing some star power. They got that and then some with Alonso and their other additions. But this season hasn’t turned out the way the club envisioned. Entering the All-Star break, Baltimore sits 11.5 games out of first place in the AL East.
That being said, the club is just two games out of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. That’s more due to the weakness of the American League than to the Orioles having a particularly strong record. The O’s sit five games under .500, in fourth place in the AL East. Their woes have come primarily from an inconsistent bullpen and a lack of situational hitting. If the club can go on a hot streak before the Trade Deadline, they could seek to add to those lacking areas.
A Breakout Backstop in Baltimore
Adley Rutschman broke out onto the scene in 2022, posting an .807 OPS across 113 games behind the dish. That ranked Rutschman sixth among all MLB catchers in the category. The following year, he displayed incredible consistency with an .809 OPS in 154 games. Since then, though, the young catcher has regressed a bit. From 2024-26, Rutschman has posted a .727 OPS. That’s still above average, with the backstop having a wRC+ above 100 every year but 2025. That was the season that Rutschman played just 90 games, having been sidelined twice by oblique strains.
The Best Catching Tandem in Baseball
Rutschman and rookie Samuel Basallo comprise one of the best catching duos in MLB. Baltimore has plenty of talent behind the plate. Basallo recently signed an eight-year, $67 million contract extension after slashing .248/.309/.464 with a .773 OPS and 16 homers in his 2026 rookie campaign. Behind him, Baltimore’s No. 17 prospect, Creed Willems, has shown plenty of promise as a primary backstop with the club’s Triple-A affiliate. Despite Rutschman having just returned from the All-Star Game, it’s rumored that Baltimore could look to flip him for roster additions at the Trade Deadline.
O’s Lacking in Offense and Reliable Bullpen Weapons
In general, the offense hasn’t been awful for the Orioles. The club ranks in the middle of the pack in home runs (12th), batting average (21st), on-base percentage (11th), slugging percentage and OPS (14th). But the situational hitting has been a serious problem in Baltimore. Beyond that, the bullpen has struggled in spite of a serviceable starting rotation. The club’s pitching staff has been plagued by injuries but has still been solid through it. The ‘pen has been saddled with a dismal 4.20 ERA, ranking 18th in MLB. Fantastic seasons from slugger Pete Alonso (21 homers) and veteran Rico Garcia (2.61 ERA) haven’t done much to buoy those problems. The Orioles have desperately needed one key piece to help put it all together. That could come via a trade involving Rutschman at the Deadline.
Possible Trade Partners for Baltimore
New York Yankees
Plenty of contending clubs are looking for help behind the plate. One of the major players seems to be the Yankees, who aren’t getting nearly enough production out of catcher Austin Wells (.155/.247/.258). With New York being a division rival, it’s unlikely the two teams would complete a trade, but the right package could get the wheels turning. The Yanks would likely need to give up a big-league reliever and a serviceable bat in order to pry Rutschman away from the O’s, but a trade could get done.
Pittsburgh Pirates
An interleague swap could come in the form of the Pirates. Pittsburgh has looked great this season but hasn’t had much help behind the plate. The club is looking to add at the Deadline and could make a swap for Rutschman in order to give Henry Davis more time to develop in the minor leagues. Pirates catcher Endy Rodríguez has taken some of the responsibility off of Davis with his recent offensive breakout. That said, the Bucs need a more reliable backstop to round out their catching tandem.
The Likelihood of Rutschman Leaving
Baltimore’s front office has seemed to be in win-now mode. With their young core continuing to age (and regress), it seems likely that the O’s could be forced to do something rash in order to contend for a postseason spot. That may or may not involve trading their young star catcher, but they will certainly be making moves at the Trade Deadline. General Manager Mike Elias has spent the last year massively overhauling the Baltimore roster. It seems highly plausible that that strategy continues in order to push the O’s towards potential World Series contention.
