3 Trade Landing Spots For Orioles' Adley Rutschman
The Orioles signed 21-year-old catching prospect Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million extension, and with both players primarily catchers, the roster math has become complicated.
Rutschman, who becomes a free agent after the 2027 season, is bouncing back this year with a .258 average and an .811 OPS after two down seasons, earning his third All-Star nod.
With Baltimore quite a bit back in the AL East at the break, here are three landing spots that make sense.
Pittsburgh Pirates
The Pirates have baseball's best story in Paul Skenes but have consistently failed to give him enough support.
FanSided named Pittsburgh a fit, noting the lineup has improved in 2026 but catcher remains the one glaring weak point.
Rays coaching staff reached out to AL manager John Schneider so Adley Rutschman could catch Drew Rasmussen in the All-Star game.
— Wild Card Sports (@wildcardnet) July 15, 2026
Could there be more to this request outside of the two being college teammates? 👀 pic.twitter.com/GrsC4mQ9AZ
Rutschman would be a massive upgrade behind the plate and provide the kind of steady, switch-hitting presence a young Pirates core could build around for the next two seasons.
For a team desperate to finally reach the postseason during the Skenes era, adding an established star catcher would be a statement move.
Texas Rangers
The Rangers have a clear need at the position.
Kyle Higashioka, Danny Jansen, and Elias Diaz are all in their mid-30s with no long-term future in Texas, leaving a genuine void behind the plate.
Rutschman would be an appealing two-year solution with the chance to stick around longer if the Rangers extend him, and Texas has the spending power to make that happen.
As questions swirl around the future of the roster in Arlington, Rutschman could help anchor the next generation.
Houston Astros
The Astros are always in win-now mode and have a track record of pursuing established talent.
Houston has gotten inconsistent production from the catcher spot, and adding a defensively elite, switch-hitting All-Star would deepen a lineup built for October.
Rutschman's strong framing, throwing, and game-calling would be an asset for a Houston pitching staff, and his two years of control fit a team that expects to contend now and beyond.
The Orioles historically shy away from big extensions, and with the offers only likely to shrink in the offseason, Baltimore could be forced to consider its future sooner rather than later.
.jpg)