The Orioles made a franchise-altering move at the trade deadline when they sent All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox, clearing the runway for Samuel Basallo to take over behind the plate.
That was already the second big show of faith Baltimore had given the 22-year-old. The first came when the club handed him an eight-year contract just five games into his career.
Basallo has never been sold as a defense-first catcher. His bat is what pushed him to the majors so quickly, and there had long been questions about whether he would eventually slide to first base or DH. For now, though, the Orioles are keeping him at catcher, and that makes his development behind the plate a much bigger issue.
The biggest hurdle for young catchers is often game calling, and Basallo has felt that learning curve this season. Catchers have to guide pitchers through every at-bat, with a working knowledge of each pitcher’s strengths and weaknesses as well as the opposing lineup. That usually takes time, and Basallo simply hasn’t had much of it.
The numbers back up the concern. Shane Baz and Brandon Young both posted higher ERAs with Basallo catching than they did with Rutschman.
Baz’s ERA went from 4.06 with Rutschman to 4.34 with Basallo, while Young’s jumped from 3.13 to 6.85. Bradish was only a little better with Basallo as well, going from a 3.71 ERA to 4.05.
Baltimore has clearly put a lot of trust in Basallo, but that trust now has to be earned by getting on the same page with the staff. Pitchers know when a catcher makes their job easier, and Basallo needs to work his way into that kind of confidence if he’s going to keep the job.
There is at least one encouraging sign. As a whole, Orioles pitchers had a 3.67 ERA with Basallo behind the plate.
That suggests the bullpen may have benefitted more than the rotation, because it’s the starters who matter most here. They’re the ones logging the bulk of the innings, and if they aren’t comfortable with him, his playing time will be limited.
Baltimore took a risk by moving Rutschman, who had one year left before free agency. The trade also brought in another catcher, Carlos Narvaez, who was a Gold Glove finalist in 2025. If Basallo doesn’t spend the offseason sharpening his feel for the pitching staff, his hold on the catching role could slip fast.
In Other News...
Orioles Pitching Picture Just Got A Telling Offseason Update
The Orioles got a useful offseason checkpoint on their pitching depth with word that Cade Povich is expected to be ready for spring training after undergoing elbow surgery. For a club that has spent much of the winter sorting through arms and trying to keep its rotation depth intact, that kind of update matters just as much as any splashier transaction because it gives Baltimore some clarity on one of its younger pitchers heading into camp.
Baltimore also brought back left-hander Jayvien Sandridge on a minor league deal, another small but telling move for a staff that is always looking for extra options. Neither item changes the top of the Orioles' pitching plans on its own, but together they reinforce how much of the offseason conversation around this club is still tied to health, depth and the possibility that a few lesser-known arms could still factor into the picture before Opening Day. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Prospects Are Giving Birdland An Early Reason For Optimism
Several Orioles prospects are already making noise in the Arizona Fall League, giving Birdland a little extra to track while the offseason takes shape. Baltimore has multiple players down there with the Peoria Javelinas, and the early returns have been encouraging on both sides of the ball. Vance Honeycutt has shown power, and Braxton Bragg has been among the pitchers drawing attention in limited work.
Ike Irish has been one of the more intriguing names in that group, especially after getting back on the field following the injury that ended his regular season in late July. He has been swinging it well in the desert, and Patrick Reilly has also opened eyes with efficient innings and a standout week that suggests the Orioles may be getting useful momentum from some of their younger arms. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Investment In Vance Honeycutt Suddenly Looks Much More Interesting
Vance Honeycutt spent much of the 2026 season looking like a classic high-upside, high-whiff project, the kind of late first-round pick who can test an organizations patience before he finds his footing. The Orioles kept pushing his development anyway, and there were signs in High-A Frederick that the tools were starting to show up more consistently, with more power and enough speed to keep him on the radar as a potential everyday player.
The real intrigue came once he got back from an oblique injury and moved up to Double-A Chesapeake, where the bat looked cleaner and the swing-and-miss eased enough to matter. Baltimore has been willing to keep investing in Honeycutts growth, and the next stretch will go a long way toward showing whether this is just a nice run of production or the beginning of something more serious. [Read more 🡒]