The Red Sox and Orioles are moving toward a deal that would send catcher Adley Rutschman to Boston, with multiple reports pointing to a trade that is already arranged and waiting on the Red Sox’s final approval.
The Red Sox and Orioles are talking about Adley Rutschman, per sources, and there is a feeling that a deal could be completed at some point today.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) August 3, 2026
Jared Carrabis said on his live podcast that the trade had gone through, while ESPN’s Buster Olney later reported that the agreement has been offered and that Boston now has to decide whether to move forward. Olney put it plainly: “The Red Sox and O’s have a deal arranged for Adley Rutschman.
Keep hearing the Red Sox are working hard on a trade with Orioles for Adley Rutschman. Rutschman currently has a sprained wrist and is on the IL so medical review in any trade would be no sure thing.
— Joel Sherman (@Joelsherman1) August 3, 2026
Prospects, medicals set. Red Sox just need to say yay or nay.”
Red Sox and Orioles are talking seriously about Adley Rutschman @Feinsand and @Joelsherman1 mentioned
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) August 3, 2026
Rutschman is currently on the IL with a wrist injury, so a physical could slow things down before anything becomes official. If the deal is completed, Boston would land the top catcher on the market and add another impact bat to a lineup that already looks dangerous.
ADLEY RUTSCHMAN IS A BOSTON RED SOCK 🚨@Jared_Carrabis WITH THE BANGER
— Fuzzy (@fuzzyfromyt) August 3, 2026
The move would also address one of the two spots Boston has not been elite at this season. Catcher and shortstop have been the weak points, and Rutschman would solve one of them immediately as a former No. 1 overall pick. The Red Sox are also still looking at shortstop help and could make a run at Zach Neto or another option later Monday.
The Red Sox and O’s have a deal arranged for Adley Rutschman. Prospects, medicals set. Red Sox just need to say yay or nay.
— Buster Olney (@Buster_ESPN) August 3, 2026
The Orioles were not done dealing, either. Shortly after the Rutschman reports surfaced, Baltimore completed another major trade, sending outfielder Taylor Ward to the Seattle Mariners, according to Jeff Passan.
BREAKING: The Seattle Mariners are acquiring outfielder Taylor Ward in a trade with the Baltimore Orioles, sources tell ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) August 3, 2026
With general managers constantly working the phones, the trade deadline is already turning into a chaotic day, and more moves could still be on the way.
In Other News...
Adley Rutschman Trade Hit Orioles Fans Even Harder Than Expected
The Orioles decision to send Adley Rutschman to the Red Sox landed with the kind of force that only a franchise cornerstone can bring. Baltimores No. 1 overall pick in 2019, Rutschman grew from the face of the organization into a three-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger winner in 2023, playing 572 games in an Orioles uniform and becoming one of the most familiar names on the roster.
What made the move sting a little more was the setting around it, because Rutschman was away from the ballpark and spending time with former Orioles teammates Colston Cowser, Ryan Mountcastle and Gunnar Henderson when word came down. For a player who had been so central to Baltimores recent rise, even the timing of the news underscored how abruptly the relationship changed and why this one is going to sit with Orioles fans for a while. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Just Brought Back A Familiar Arm With Something To Prove
The Orioles have another familiar pitching name back in the fold, and it comes with the kind of minor league pedigree that makes these transactions worth watching. The piece of the puzzle here is Michael Forret, a right-hander who was once part of Baltimores system and had shown enough promise to stay on the radar even after the organization moved him in a deal last summer.
Forrets return gives the Orioles another depth arm to evaluate, and it comes at a time when the club is still sorting through a broader wave of prospect movement around the game. For a team that has been aggressive about turning over its lower-level talent and stockpiling arms and athletes, the question is less about the transaction itself than what kind of version of Forret they get back and whether there is still enough upside to make him part of the long-term picture. [Read more 🡒]
Orioles Quietly Made Deadline Moves That Could Still Help This Roster
The Orioles did not make the loudest noise at the deadline, but they still took a few swings on the margins that could matter over the final stretch. Baltimore shipped pitcher Joe Glassey to the Nationals and came away with outfielder Christian Franklin, while also adding outfielder Rece Hinds from the Marlins and right-hander Codi Heuer from the Brewers.
Franklin is expected to make his major league debut soon, which gives the Orioles at least one fresh option to watch right away. Hinds and Heuer, meanwhile, fit the more familiar deadline profile of low-cost bets on upside, the kind of moves that can pay off if a player finds something once he gets into a new environment and the season starts to thin out around him. [Read more 🡒]