It’s not a good day to be Adley Rutschman. The All-Star catcher could face an uncertain future with the Baltimore Orioles after ESPN’s Jeff Passan reported an extension agreement between the club and top prospect Samuel Basallo on Friday morning. Basallo has just four games of MLB experience to his name, but the Orioles are investing in his future development at the big league level, with his plus hit tool that could make him a middle-of-the-order bat in Baltimore for years to come. On the flip side, this extension comes with potential consequences for Rutschman, who has suddenly gone from franchise player to tradeable asset. Selected first overall in 2019 by the Orioles out of Oregon State University, Rutschman was the first prominent figure of Baltimore’s rebuild, debuting in 2022 and catapulting the club to back-to-back playoff appearances in 2023 and 2024. And while both of those runs were short-lived, there didn’t seem to be much doubt that he would quickly entrench himself as a franchise cornerstonRead More
Orioles’ latest extension could spell doom for All-Star catcher
