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Baltimore Orioles' Craig Albernaz has some major decisions to make ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline

The Baltimore Orioles just wrapped up a bleak series against the San Diego Padres.

The Padres clinched the series 2-1 after the Orioles lost two consecutive games.

Ahead of the 2026 season, hopes were high that perhaps this could be the year in which Baltimore surged ahead.

Unfortunately, they’ve done anything but.

At this point, a drastic change may be their only logical solution, and baseball writer Tim Kelly of Bleacher Report is encouraging fans to keep an eye on one key player ahead of the MLB Trade Deadline in August.

Orioles Shouldn’t Rule Out Trading Two-Time All-Star

GettyA trade involving Baltimore Orioles‘ Adley Rutschman shouldn’t be ruled out just yet

As Kelly detailed, 28-year-old catcher Adley Rutschman could be a potential trade candidate for Baltimore, albeit a rather unexpected one.

Taylor Ward’s name has surfaced in a variety of trade rumors lately, but Rutschman’s has remained fairly quiet by comparison.

With a 2026 slash line of .265/.343/.481 and a .824 OPS, smacking eight homers through his 51 games thus far, it’s clear that he is on the right path for the ballclub.

But despite his noticeable improvements at the plate, Kelly notes that the organization may still opt to ship him out.

He wrote, “Whether it’s because they don’t believe Rutschman will sustain this offensive production or that if he does, he’ll price his way out of Baltimore, now could be the time to maximize his value in a trade. The two-time All-Star can become a free agent after the 2027 season, so anyone trading for him would get him for two pennant races.”

For reference, during his 2025 campaign, he slashed .220/.307/.366 with a .673 OPS and just nine home runs through 90 games.

It’s only mid-June, but he’s already off to a far more promising start.

Having said that, if the ballclub were to take a gamble and send him elsewhere, doing so soon would likely be a more feasible option.

Rutschman’s MLB Career

GettyBaltimore Orioles’ Adley Rutschman could find himself being shipped out at the MLB Trade Deadline

The young catcher was the Orioles’ No. 1 pick in the first round back in 2019, drafting him out of Oregon State.

He made his official debut on May 21, 2022, kicking off what would soon become an exceptional rookie season.

That year, he slashed .254/.362/445 with an impressive .807 OPS and 13 home runs through 113 games.

Following his campaign, Zachary Silver of MLB.com wrote, “Every time Adley Rutschman steps on the field, he’s setting a career first, cozying up with the Orioles legends or etching his name into the history books.”

At the time, Silver pointed out that Rutschman’s performance was the “finest season by a rookie catcher since Mike Piazza in 1993.”

Following his first year in the big leagues, he went on to play notable campaigns before experiencing his concerning slump on offense in 2025.

Since his comeback this year, his name is garnering even more attention.

But as Kelly pointed out, his ability to maintain momentum remains unclear. This could deter Baltimore from retaining him.

This marks his fifth year in the Majors, each of which has been spent with the Orioles.

Shipping him elsewhere would be a drastic move that could present numerous risks, but rewards are rarely given out — some element of risk is often required.