Pirates Could Bolster Catcher Position With Trade
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NEW YORK — The Pittsburgh Pirates will mostly focus on acquiring bullpen arms at the trade deadline, but there's always a chance they look at position players too.
One player that may fit just exactly what they need is Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, who Kelly McDaniel and Jeff Passan of ESPN named the Pirates a trade fit for.
McDaniel and Passan reported that the Orioles are listening to trade offers on Rutschman, despite not being desperate to trade their 2019 first-round draft pick.
They also have the Pirates amongst other teams like the Boston Red Sox, Cincinnati Reds, Minnesota Twins, New York Yankees, Philadelphia Phillies, San Diego Padres and Texas Rangers.
Why the Rutschman would Make Sense for the Pirates
The Pirates have looked for more offensive production from their catchers and could always use some better defense as well, with that catcher being able to do both really well.
Rutschman has had somewhat of a bounceback season this year, slashing .251/.331/.433 for an OPS of .764 in 67 games, with 62 hits, 19 doubles, eight home runs, 47 RBI and 30 walks to 40 strikeouts.
His .281 expected batting average (xBA) and .348 expected weighted on-base average (xwOBA) rank in the 81st and 75th percentile in 2026, while he's done well in getting hits when making contact, while also possessing a low whiff (15.8%) and strikeout (14.1%) rates and a solid walk rate (10.6%).
He has also been strong defensively behind the plate, with +5 catcher framing runs, third best of any catcher this season, and +5 caught stealing above average, second best in baseball, and a +9 fielding run value, tied for the best amongst MLB catchers.
Rutschman impressed enough that he earned an All-Star nod, his third after doing so in back-to-back seasons, 2023 and 2024.
The Pirates have relied on Henry Davis and Endy Rodríguez this season, both of whom do certain things well, but neither is quite the complete catcher as of now.
Davis improved greatly from behind the plate, becoming a strong defensive option, but has struggled at the plate, batting .167/.263/.333 for an OPS of .596.
Rodríguez showed that he could hit when he earned his callup this season, slashing .260/.388/.470 for an OPS of .858 in 35 games, but he does struggle a little bit behind the plate.
The Pirates adding Rutschman gives them an option on both sides of the plate and could play a big role in helping them make their first postseason since 2015.
Will Pirates Trade for Rutschman?
Rutschman would come as a solid addition, but his injury history is a big concern and something that's stopped him from excelling fully this season.
The Orioles have placed Rutschman on the injured list on three separate occasions in 2026, including just two days ago on July 19 with left wrist inflammation.
Rutschman also dealt with oblique strains in 2025 that limited him to just 90 games last season, after three relatively healthy seasons from 2022-24.
He does have one more season of team control in 2027, but with an impending lockout coming and the threat of lost games, that year could become less valuable.
The Pirates also will see their bullpen as a much bigger need than catcher, so most of their attention will go towards that.
Both Davis and Rodríguez could be performing better, but they've added up to an adequate showing for the most part in 2026.
The Pirates also have one of the best offenses in baseball and if they improve their bullpen, then that gives them the best shot at competing for the playoffs.
It's not a definite "no" on the Pirates trading for Rutschman, but that they'll likely add elsewhere before addressing catcher.
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Dominic writes for Pittsburgh Pirates On SI, Pittsburgh Panthers Pn SI and also, Pittsburgh Steelers On SI. A Pittsburgh native, Dominic grew up watching Pittsburgh Sports and wrote for The Pitt News as an undergraduate at the University of Pittsburgh, covering Pitt Athletics. He would write for Pittsburgh Sports Now after college and has years of experience covering sports across Pittsburgh.