Adley Rutschman Could Be Yankees' Answer to Their Catcher Woes (But It'll Come at a Cost)

Trading for Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman won't be easy, but the effort would be worth it for the Yankees if they want to solve their catcher problem. | Daniel Kucin Jr.-Imagn Images

The Yankees' situation behind home plate has been a hot topic throughout the early part of the 2026 MLB season. Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra haven't lived up to expectations offensively, so it wouldn't be surprising if Yankees general manager Brian Cashman and manager Aaron Boone want to replace one of the underperforming catchers with a more reliable bat.

With both catchers being left-handed hitters, New York should explore options who can hit from the right side of the plate. Better yet, why not someone who can do both, like Orioles backstop Adley Rutschman?

After all, the two-time MLB All-Star catcher—who'll be a free agent in 2028—has been involved in trade rumors all season as Baltimore continues playing sub-.500 baseball.

As great as Rutschman would look in pinstripes, it's important to acknowledge that a potential Yankees-Orioles trade would be a long shot. Baltimore won't want to trade a difference-maker like the 28-year-old switch-hitter to a rival New York squad that's already in the World Series conversation. To pull off a trade, Cashman & Co. will likely have to pay a premium price—call it an American League East tax.

The Orioles will likely demand a higher price if they're even remotely open to trading Adley Rutschman to the Yankees. | Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

But with what Rutschman brings to the table, putting in the extra effort might be worth it for the Yankees in the long run.

Adley Rutschman would be a clear upgrade over Austin Wells, J.C. Escarra

It isn't hard to see how Rutschman would be the answer to the Yankees' ongoing catcher problems. The Portland, OR native has amassed 68 home runs, 259 RBIs, 274 walks, and a 16.2 WAR while slashing .254/.343/.416 in 547 games (2,034 at-bats) in his five-year MLB career. With Samuel Basallo shaping up to be the Orioles' franchise catcher, New York can't ignore the possibility that Rutschman is available.

Rutschman's 2026 campaign isn't on the same level as his12th- and ninth-placed finishes in the AL MVP race in 2022 and 2023, respectively. However, that isn't to say he wouldn't be a clear upgrade over Wells and Escarra. The former 2019 first-overall pick is slashing .252/.333/.465 with seven home runs, 29 RBIs, 19 walks, and a 1.3 WAR in 42 games (155 ABs).

For comparison, Wells and Escarra are each batting well below .200 and have only combined for four HRs, seven RBIs, and 28 walks this season. Their combined WAR is 0.1.

Austin Wells and J.C. Escarra aren't giving the Yankees the type of offense they need from the catcher position. | Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

When it comes to slashing against right-handed pitchers, neither Wells (.216/.349/.330) nor Escarra (.116/.191/.186) has had much success this season. Rutschman has been much better in that regard, slashing .263/.343/.484 with a .827 OPS (compared to .752 OPS vs. lefties).

Wells has shown great chemistry with the Yankees' pitchers this season, posting a plus-4 when it comes to catcher framing runs, per Baseball Savant. It's understandable if New York fans don't want to disrupt a good thing.

Conversely, Rutschman paces all MLB catchers with a plus-5 in that department, so it's possible that the Bronx Bombers wouldn't miss a step if he comes to town. He can also play designated hitter if the team wants Wells's behind the plate when the former needs a lighter workload.

The sacrifice would be worth it

Rutschman is clearly one of the MLB's best hitting catchers, even when he's in the middle of a down year by his standards. Any potential trade is going to come at a premium cost for such a key position, especially when the former Silver Slugger is still arbitration-eligible for the 2027 season. As mentioned before, the Yankees might be charged an even higher cost to keep Rutschman in the AL East.

Nevertheless, the price for a potential trade with the Orioles would be worth it for the Yankees. New York shouldn't have an issue packaging several pitching prospects together in a deal, as that's a position Baltimore could use a lot of help with.

The Yankees' starting big-league rotation is set for the foreseeable future, as Max Fried, Carlos Rodón, Gerrit Cole, Will Warren and Ryan Weathers are all under contract/team control through 2028 at least.

That should leave New York open to trading away some pitching prospects. Maybe not Elmer Rodríguez or Carlos Lagrange, but that doesn't mean young guns like Ben Hess, Bryce Cunningham, Brendan Beck, and others can't be fair game.

Despite his potential, the Yankees should be open to trading Ben Hess if it means improving their chances of acquiring Adley Rutschman. | New York Yankees via Imagn Images

At the end of the day, it's going to take a lot of convincing for the Orioles to trade Rutschman to a divisional rival, even if they like what the Yankees are offering. Still, any effort and prospects given up will be worth it to add Rutschman to an already-dangerous lineup that boasts Aaron Judge, Ben Rice and Giancarlo Stanton (when he returns from injury).

World Series titles are won with big-time gambles, and trading for Rutschman could put the Yankees over the top. If the worst the Orioles can say is no, Cashman & Co. have to pick up the phone and give it a shot.