Expert admits trading Orioles star is 'likeliest route' this offseason

There's a clear case to be made for one of the Baltimore Orioles' most beloved players getting traded.

Aug 22, 2021; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; A Baltimore Orioles logo is seen on an umbrella during the game between the Baltimore Orioles and the Atlanta Braves at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images | Scott Taetsch-Imagn Images

On August 22, the Baltimore Orioles announced that they had signed 20-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million contract extension, which means Basallo is locked down through the 2033 season with a club option in 2034.

While this is obviously great news for the franchise, it also highlights the elephant in the room, so to speak: that Basallo plays the same position as star catcher (and arguable face of the Orioles' franchise), Adley Rutschman.

Of course, Rutschman hasn't had a good 2025 season, and he also didn't do as well in 2024 as he had in the two seasons prior. But there's no doubt that Rutschman is a top talent behind the dish. And now Baltimore has a logjam among their backstops.

Aug 1, 2025; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (35) gestures after hitting a double against the Chicago Cubs during the ninth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: David Banks-Imagn Images | David Banks-Imagn Images

MLB Expert Explains Why Trading Adley Rutschman Seems Likely

The most obvious way to alleviate this logjam is by trading Rutschman. And this is what CBS Sports' R.J. Anderson seemed to suggest is the most likely outcome in an August 22 article.

Anderson noted that three scenarios could potentially play out in the wake of Basallo's extension: the duo of he and Rutschman splits time, Rutschman gets traded, or one of them gets permanently moved to another position.

Read more: NL ace could choose Orioles in free agency, per insider

In assessing the scenario where Rutschman is traded, Anderson wrote, "Other front offices speculating about which backstop the Orioles will trade have been commonplace in the industry for a while now... The biggest effect of Basallo's extension is that the focus will be solely on Rutschman.

"It's probably reasonable to identify this as the likeliest route for the Orioles to take -- if only because it's the most conventional one available to them," he added.

A reminder that Adley Rutschman was heating up before his injury. Here are his numbers since June 3:

.316 BA
.385 OBP
.526 SLG
.911 OPS pic.twitter.com/cC9PxpuKJ8

— Jacob Calvin Meyer (@jcalvinmeyer) July 28, 2025

Anderson continued, "The argument for trading Rutschman this winter is that he'll be two seasons away from free agency and that he should net a good return (perhaps at a position of need) since quality backstops are seldom made available at this stage of their careers. The counterargument is that Rutschman's trade value may be at its nadir. He'll be fresh off the least-productive season of his career, and it's possible that he'll have missed more than two months on account of injury.

"Don't overlook that these Orioles will attempt to correct course and compete again next year. They may not want to task Basallo with handling a catching staff on a most-days basis right now anyway, and particularly not at a time when they're attempting to win a playoff spot," he concluded.

It will be fascinating to see which direction the Orioles take with Rutschman this offseason.