The Orioles have moved on from their three-time All-Star catcher.
Entering Monday’s trade deadline, the six teams closest to the Cleveland Guardians for the third and final American League wild-card spot are each within five games. This is incredibly unusual for this time of year, to have this many teams within striking distance of a postseason spot, especially considering the team furthest away, the Toronto Blue Jays, are eight games under .500. The AL has been rewarding mediocrity this season, which means that even teams below .500 have a real chance at October.
This includes the Baltimore Orioles, who entered the day 54–58, which is the mark of a team that in most years would be certain to sell at the deadline. That said, because they are just two losses back from Cleveland, the Orioles could have instead chosen to either stay put or add a piece and try to make the playoffs. But instead, they have done the difficult, forward-looking thing and accepted they are not contending for a World Series this year and are unloading.
That began with Taylor Ward, who has reportedly been traded to the Seattle Mariners, and then shortly after, it was reported that All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman had been sent to the Boston Red Sox (via ESPN's Jeff Passan).
As for the full return, it's large.
There had been rumors buzzing around Rutschman for a while, but it seemed like if anyone from the current Orioles core could be safe, it would be him. Selected first overall in the 2019 MLB Draft, Rutschman is a three-time MLB All-Star, including this season, where he owns a 115 OPS+, a nice bounce-back mark from last season when he was below league average offensively for the first time in his career.
A switch-hitter and just 28 years old, Rutschman has also been well known for his defensive prowess, as he is truly one of the best all-around catchers in baseball. Making this move even more stunning is that it comes within the division.
Teams in the division often avoid trading with one another, especially in blockbuster deals like this, but with the Red Sox surging at 60–51 and the Orioles amid a disappointing year at 54–58, the two franchises are clearly on different trajectories and felt this move was the right decision for them.
While it may make sense from a baseball standpoint, it is going to hurt Orioles fans to see Rutschman depart. He made his debut at the age of 24 in 2022 and has, in many ways, been the face of the franchise since then. That era ends after 572 games, 2,444 plate appearances, 540 hits, and a lot of good memories.
