The Baltimore Orioles’ 2025 MLB season has not gone as planned, and they will have many critical decisions to make in the offseason. One critical decision is whether or not to trade away catcher Adley Rutschman.
He is 27 years old, a former number one overall pick, and still has two years remaining with the organization before he would become a free agent. Rutschman does not have a long-term deal, but rookie catcher Samuel Basallo already has a long-term contract despite not even being at the MLB level for a month. Even with Basallo projected to be the long-term catcher, should Baltimore keep Rutschman around anyway?
One MLB Analyst Warns the Baltimore Orioles About Trading Away Adley Rutschman
Different MLB analysts on CBS Sports chimed in on the topic of whether or not the Orioles should trade away Rutschman this offseason. Well, Dayn Perry of CBS Sports thinks that Baltimore should keep him around and not trade him away just yet. Perry said,
“I’d lean toward keeping Rutschman at this point. The O’s are very much intending to return to contention this season after a disappointing 2025, and Rutschman helps that objective. On another level, Rutschman has been in a pattern of offensive decline ever since his rookie season. He’d have much more trade value coming off a reversal of that trend, so from that standpoint it’s worth giving him another year to re-establish some offensive value. Then he could be shopped going into his walk year. As well, Basallo, who has some defensive limitations, could probably benefit from an “apprentice” year in a job-sharing arrangement with Rutschman.”
Well, splitting catching duties with Basallo and Rutschman would not be the worst thing for this organization in 2026. When one does not catch behind the plate, the other could play first base or be the designated hitter. Baltimore views Basallo as the long-term catcher, so they already gave him that long-term contract.
This is why the Orioles are potentially open to trading Rutschman in the offseason. There is no doubt that there will be a trade market for him. If Baltimore does trade him, they’d better get back starting pitching in return.
He is currently on the 10-day injured list with a mild right oblique strain. In 85 games played, he has a .227 batting average with nine home runs and 27 RBIs, along with a .310 on-base percentage. Perry is right that Rutschman may not have much trade value right now, but there is a chance that he could regain that trade stock with a good 2026 MLB season.
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