This repeated Adley Rutschman issue could explain Orioles-Samuel Basallo extension

When the Baltimore Orioles drafted catcher Adley Rutschman first overall back in 2019, the team envisioned him becoming the face of the franchise. Fast forward six years, and the former top prospect is just another in the long list of disappointments during the 2025 season.

Still, with two more years of team control beyond this season, it seemed as if the switch-hitting backstop was very much a major part of Baltimore's plans both in the present and the near future. That is, until Rutschman got hurt. Again.

Placed on the IL retroactive to August 18, Rutschman's second oblique injury in three months cleared a path for the Orioles to promote the No. 8 prospect in all of baseball, Samuel Basallo, 21, to fill in behind the dish... Perhaps for good?

Samuel Balsallo's shocking extension could spell the end for Adley Rutschman with the Orioles

The Orioles wasted no time with Basallo, locking up the talented youngster with an eight-year, $67 million extension after just four big league games. That should be a serious warning sign for Rutschman, who is in his first year of arbitration.

Rutschman's career began on a high note. Debuting in 2022, the then-24-year-old slashed .254/.362/.445 en route to a 5.6 fWAR campaign in just 113 games. He followed that up in 2023 by slashing .277/.374/.435 with 5.5 fWAR. Since then, however, there's been a sharp drop off.

In 2024, Rutschman's OPS dropped 100 points to .709, due in large part to a drop in both walks and power production. In 2025, the offensive struggles have continued, with Rutschman's .684 OPS representing a career-low. Meanwhile, a new, annoying issue has developed.

Previously regarded as relatively durable for a catcher, 2025 has been a different story for Rutschman. After narrowly avoiding an IL stint after taking a foul ball off the mask, the recurring oblique injury has caused him to miss significant time this season. If he adds permanent durability concerns to the equation moving forward, it will only provide the Orioles with more motivation to move on.

If Rutschman's name surfacing in deadline trade rumors was foreshadowing, then the Balsallo extension is the sound of the other shoe dropping. It should be abundantly clear to both sides that the writing is on the wall, and a divorce is in order.

The best-case scenario for the Orioles is that Rutschman spends the minimum amount of time on the injured list and comes back strong down the September stretch in order to rebuild his trade value so both parties can find a fresh start in the offseason.

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