The Baltimore Orioles find themselves in an awkward position as the trade deadline looms. They’re sitting three games below .500 but somehow just 2.5 games back in the AL Wild Card race.
So what are they exactly? Buyers or sellers?
“The Baltimore Orioles are a classic example of a team working both buy and sell angles, unsure what to make of their club,” The Athletic’s Ken Rosenthal wrote Thursday.
That uncertainty has put Adley Rutschman squarely in trade rumors, though it’s unclear if Baltimore’s actually willing to move their former first overall pick. The catching market tells a different story, though.
Teams like the Yankees, Red Sox, Rays, and Dodgers all need help behind the plate to varying degrees. But their options keep disappearing.
“Rutschman, dealing with left wrist inflammation, is on the injured list for the third time this season, but he still could be traded, with the catching market growing thinner by the day,” Rosenthal added.
Here’s the thing – Oakland’s Shea Langeliers is done for the year after knee surgery to repair a torn meniscus. Minnesota’s Ryan Jeffers seems likely to stay put with the Twins still in contention. Colorado’s Hunter Goodman might not even be available if the Rockies decide to hold tight.
That leaves Rutschman as one of the few legitimate catching options available.
The Orioles do have Samuel Basallo locked up long-term, which gives them a potential catcher of the future if they decide to cash in on Rutschman now. It’s the kind of decision that’ll define whether Baltimore sees itself as a 2024 contender or a team building for something bigger down the road.
With just days left before the deadline, they’re running out of time to figure out which direction they want to go.
