Padres must push for Adley Rutschman trade after strange Ken Rosenthal update

Adley Rutschman was supposed to be the next great Baltimore Oriole. A two-time All-Star with a Silver Slugger and a Top 10 MVP finish to his name already, it was pretty clear that he was on the right path to joining the inner-circle of great O's.

But something took a terrible turn in 2025 for him. His hard-hit percentage is down, and he has fallen below average in a ton of offensive metrics. He then went down with a left oblique strain in late June, and has missed over a month of action. With a return in sight for Rutschman, Baltimore has gone on to draft two catchers in the first round of the 2025 MLB Draft (Ike Irish, Caden Bodine) with Rutschman recovering from his injury, signaling that his days with the O's may be over.

Orioles could benefit from trading Adley Rutschman to the Padres now

With two more years of control left on his contract, it may be time for the Orioles to start shopping for trades that include Rutschman. A team like the San Diego Padres would be a perfect fit. Whether it's a known starting catcher, or an up-and-comer, the Friars are desperate for a catcher, but they may have found a tremendous trading partner with the Orioles.

Ken Rosenthal thinks that Rutschman won't get traded any time soon, but he also hints that there are other catchers in the organization ready to take his spot. Considering that Irish and Bodine are both polished collegiate players, that could come sooner rather than later. Maybe now would be the time to pitch a deal, rather than the offseason.

"Long term, he might not be the piece that we all thought that he would be. The fixture, the 10-year Oriole," Rosenthal said.

So, if Rutschman's stock is already plummeting, who knows what the Orioles could get in return for him by the time November rolls around. Sitting in last place in the AL East, it would make sense for the O's to try and maximize their return on Rutschman now. There is no real point in keeping him these next two months if the plan is to get rid of down the line.

Rutschman's career is far from over. That much is true, and perhaps he just needs a change of scenery, especially since he has not looked the same in about a year. The Padres need a catcher now, and both clubs could benefit from making a trade before the 2025 deadline.