At 14-15, the Baltimore Orioles are not where they want to be. There’s still time for things to change this year, but future seasons should also be considered.
There are two players’ futures in particular to focus on: Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, writes Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer.
“There’s also a ticking-clock element here that can’t be ignored,” Rymer wrote Thursday. “Without extensions in place for Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman, the Orioles may have to consider an even more dramatic pivot if wins don’t come before their club control expires.”
Henderson has two more seasons left on his contract after 2026. Rutschman’s free agency will arrive one offseason sooner.
Both the shortstop and catcher were pivotal in Baltimore’s rise from the bottom of the AL East to 101 wins in 2023 and back-to-back postseason appearances.
“It nonetheless matters that the Orioles haven’t changed their stripes since the season started. Projection models never saw them as more than a mid-tier contender,” Rymer added. “And while their playoff odds at FanGraphs have increased, that has more to do with the struggles of the Red Sox and Blue Jays.”
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If the Orioles finish out the season as a “mid-tier contender” and cannot significantly improve in the next few seasons, you have to wonder if they will consider trading Henderson and or Rutschman.
Rutschman was already involved in trade rumors throughout the offseason, following catcher Samuel Basallo’s eight-year, $67 million extension with Baltimore.