Is Red Sox Rival Losing Faith In Two-Time All-Star Amid Down Year?
While the Boston Red Sox are embroiled in a packed American League playoff picture, they at least shouldn’t have to worry about one preseason contender.
The Baltimore Orioles are last in the American League East with the AL’s third-worst record (44-54). General manager Mike Elias conceded Sunday that he’s exploring offers for Baltimore’s veteran players with hopes of resetting for the 2026 season.
Baltimore doesn’t plan on trading any young stars before MLB’s July 31 trade deadline, but it’s fair to wonder if Adley Rutschman remains a face of the franchise.
Rutschman immediately emerged as one of baseball’s premier catchers, but he stumbled at the end of 2024 and hasn’t rebounded this year. The two-time All-Star was batting .227/.319/.372 before going on the injured list with an oblique strain last month.
The Orioles, who already have MLB’s top catching prospect in Samuel Basallo, drafted catchers Ike Irish and Caden Bodine at picks No. 19 and 30, respectively. Do those moves indicate some concern about Rutschman’s recent downslide?
A source with knowledge of Baltimore’s thought process told The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal that the Orioles drafting two catchers “did not reflect a lack of confidence” in Rutschman. However, it raises more questions about the 27-year-old’s status as an organizational building block.
“Rutschman’s long-term future in Baltimore is not as certain as it once appeared,” Rosenthal said. “He is under club control for only two more seasons. The Orioles’ interest in signing him to an extension might be waning.”
Rosenthal wrote that the Orioles “love” Irish’s bat, but he also played the outfield at Auburn and might move from catcher. Meanwhile, they liked Bodine too much to pass.
Considered a clear top-shelf catcher at this time last season, Rutschman’s production has cratered. The 2023 Silver Slugger is batting .218/.302/.340 in 126 games since the 2024 All-Star break.
Rutschman is scheduled to begin a minor league rehab assignment this week, and the former No. 1 pick could quell any worries by returning strong in the second half. His sudden swoon is a significant reason why the Orioles have underperformed drastically in 2025.