Adley Rutschman's injury timeline might force Orioles into uncomfortable reality

Adley Rutschman is currently on the injured list with an oblique strain, and Baltimore Orioles fans shouldn't expect the backstop to return to the lineup anytime in the near future. Rutschman landed on the IL for the first time in his career, and Orioles interim manager Tony Mansolino told reporters on Sunday that it'll be an extended stay for the former first-round pick.

Mansolino said that he doesn't expect Rutschman back on the field until after the All-Star break. Though the injury is described as mild, these types of ailments can sideline players for multiple weeks, and sometimes even months.

Rutschman is having nowhere close to the type of All-Star season fans have come to expect from him, but he's still a key piece of the O's success. With Rutschman out of commission for at least the next three weeks, it's looking more and more like Baltimore will become sellers at this year's MLB trade deadline.

Adley Rutschman's injury timeline might force Orioles to sell at MLB trade deadline

Entering play on Sunday, the O's were already in the AL East basement. Baltimore is 10 games below .500 (33-43) and 11 games back of the division-leading New York Yankees. Thanks in large part a small resurgence — the Orioles have won six of their last 10 games — Baltimore is within six games of the final AL Wild Card spot. But with Rutschman now out of action, shouldn't the O's just wave the white flag?

It's not as if Baltimore is in contention at the moment. Even if the O's made an historic run and got back into the MLB Postseason race, would Baltimore's starting rotation even hold up over the long haul? The Orioles don't have an ace, and haven't shown a willingness to get one — in free agency or in a trade. Outside of Ryan O'Hearn and Ramon Laureano — two of Baltimore's prime trade candidates this summer — none of their position players have an OPS above .800 on the season.

Though O's fans were dreaming of another trip to the playoffs at the outset of the season, this year's performance has revealed that Baltimore still has a long way to go. The latest details surrounding Rutschman's timeline suggest that it may be best to throw in the towel and focus on the 2026 season.

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