Orioles appear to be hedging their bets on Adley Rutschman’s future with latest roster move

Adley Rutschman trade buzz has revved up since the Baltimore Orioles extended Samuel Basallo in August, and it remains loud this offseason as Baltimore looks to acquire an impact starting pitcher, possibly via trade.

Rutschman's two All-Star selections and relative youth (27) -- combined with Basallo's ongoing development -- provide a sound argument that Baltimore should hold onto both players for the 2026 season.

That being said, the Orioles just added more catching depth, which could suggest that president of baseball operations Mike Elias is readying the franchise for a post-Rutschman reality.

Orioles just claimed a promising catcher off waivers, which suggests Adley Rutschman's days in Baltimore are numbered

On December 5, the Orioles claimed catcher Drew Romo off waivers. Romo's talent is considerable, even if he hasn't broken through in the big leagues quite yet. Romo's only tallied 54 at-bats in the majors, but he was the No. 35 overall pick in the 2020 MLB Draft and there's still plenty of time for his career to trend in a direction that validates his high selection. Romo's slash line in the minors thus far is .277/ .329/ .431/ .760 with 45 homers and 240 RBI across 425 games.

The Orioles obviously see something in Romo (even if the Rockies no longer do), but a more pressing question is, what does this mean, if anything, about Rutschman's future in Baltimore? With Basallo already locked for the next decade, the Orioles have their Rutschman successor at the catcher position, which makes the Romo addition look superfluous in a world where the O's still employ Rutschman.

Or, Elias isn't living in that world anymore and sees a Rutschman trade on the near horizon (as in, this winter). Could the Philadelphia Phillies be calling about Rutschman in light of J.T. Realmuto's possible departure in free agency? Philly, the New York Mets, and the Cincinnati Reds are just a few suitors that could come knocking on Baltimore's door for Rutschman, if they haven't already.

As mentioned before, keeping Rutschman and Basallo on the roster would be the ideal situation for the club's offense in 2026. Basallo's ability to get reps at first base and as a DH would allow Baltimore to maximize both bats for one more season.

However, the Orioles aren't in an ideal situation from a roster construction standpoint, given their desperate need for another starting pitcher. Rutschman stands out as the most obvious trade chip for Baltimore to use in the acquisition of a much-needed impact arm.