The Orioles got a small but meaningful step forward on Samuel Basallo on Saturday, and after 16 straight missed games, that matters.
Manager Craig Albernaz said Basallo has thrown from 90 feet for a second consecutive day and is “fairly close” to starting a hitting program, according to Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. For a catcher dealing with right shoulder inflammation, that’s the kind of checkpoint Baltimore has been waiting for before the next phase of his recovery.
Basallo remains on the 10-day injured list, but the progress is notable because the shoulder has to answer two separate questions before he can return. First, can he throw with the same strength and accuracy that make him such an important defensive piece behind the plate? And second, can he swing freely again without the injury getting in the way?
That defensive side matters even more now. Baltimore dealt longtime franchise catcher Adley Rutschman to the Boston Red Sox at the trade deadline, and Basallo is now positioned to carry a bigger load. His arm is a major part of what makes him valuable, so the Orioles need to know it’s intact before they send him back into games.
The bat has been part of the story too. In 86 games this season, Basallo has hit .241 with a .305 on-base percentage, a .756 OPS, 16 home runs and 46 RBIs. That production is a big reason the organization has leaned so hard into him as the catcher of the future, especially after signing him to a long-term extension last year that runs through the 2033 season.
Baltimore’s faith in Basallo came early, extending him after just four big-league games. With Rutschman gone and the season slipping away, getting Basallo healthy again is one of the few things the Orioles can still build around.
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