PITTSBURGH — To secure a postseason berth in 2026, the Pittsburgh Pirates must significantly boost their offense, and Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman could be the answer.
According to USA Today Sports’ Bob Nightengale on Aug. 24, Rutschman is the most prominent position player likely to be traded this offseason. This comes as the Orioles recently signed rookie catcher/first baseman Samuel Basallo, MLB Pipeline’s eighth-ranked prospect, to an eight-year, $67 million deal. With Basallo’s salary below $1 million annually until 2029 and Rutschman’s team control ending after 2027, Baltimore may look to trade Rutschman in favor of Basallo.
Bleacher Report’s Zach Rymer listed ten potential destinations for Rutschman, ranking the Pirates 10th. “Pittsburgh’s catchers have produced just 1.0 rWAR and a .608 OPS this year, and there’s urgency to reach the playoffs before considering a trade of Paul Skenes,” Rymer noted. However, he added that pursuing Rutschman would be a bold move, uncommon for the Pirates.
Selected first overall by the Orioles in the 2019 MLB Draft from Oregon State, Rutschman dominated college baseball, posting a .411/.575/.751 slash line with a 1.327 OPS, earning the Golden Spikes Award and Dick Howser Trophy. In his 2022 rookie season, he hit .254/.362/.445 with an .806 OPS over 113 games, recording 101 hits, 35 doubles, 13 home runs, 42 RBIs, and 65 walks against 86 strikeouts. He placed second in AL Rookie of the Year voting and 12th in AL MVP voting.
Rutschman peaked in 2023, slashing .277/.374/.435 for an .809 OPS in 154 games, with 163 hits, 31 doubles, one triple, 20 home runs, 80 RBIs, and 92 walks to 101 strikeouts. He earned his first All-Star selection, All-MLB First Team honors, a Silver Slugger Award, and a ninth-place finish in AL MVP voting.
In 2024, Rutschman started strong, batting .300 by June 27, but a foul tip to his hand led to a .189 average for the remainder of the season, finishing at .250. He still secured his second All-Star nod. In 2025, injuries, including a left oblique strain (June 21-July 28) and a right oblique strain (Aug. 21), limited him to a .227/.310/.373 slash line and a .683 OPS in 75 games.
The Pirates’ current catchers, Henry Davis and Joey Bart, have struggled offensively in 2025. Davis has posted a .174/.249/.299 slash line with a .548 OPS in 70 games, while Bart has fared better at .245/.350/.315 with a .665 OPS in 76 games.
Acquiring Rutschman could provide the Pirates with the offensive boost they need at catcher to address their league-worst offense in 2025 and push for the postseason.
Source: SI.com
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