NEW YORK -- A lot can be learned by the players who were part of the Orioles’ disappointing 2025 season. For many members of the club’s core, it was the first time they experienced losing in the big leagues after back-to-back postseason showings in ‘23 and ‘24.
For Adley Rutschman -- who played a career-low 90 games due to two stints on the injured list caused by oblique strains, one on each side -- his biggest lesson learned relates to health.
“Being injured is one of the worst things. More than anything, you just want to be out on the field able to contribute, be around the guys, help the team,” Rutschman said. “I think that’s definitely a priority going into the offseason for me. And we have great people around to help do that.”
That won’t be the only focus for the 27-year-old Rutschman, a two-time All-Star catcher and 2023 American League Silver Slugger who was the face of Baltimore’s rebuild as the No. 1 overall pick in the ‘19 MLB Draft and has since been a centerpiece for the O’s.
Rutschman also needs to correct the offensive issues that have limited his production since the second half of the 2024 season -- and he knows it.
“I think [there are] a lot of conversations to have with our hitting coaches, people around,” Rutschman said. “For me, going into the offseason, that’s going to be definitely the No. 1 thing that I’m going to talk about with them -- just trying to make the necessary adjustments to be able to move forward and obviously perform better.”
After an All-Star first half in 2024 (16 homers in 404 plate appearances), Rutschman’s numbers took a noticeable dip after the break that year, as he hit .207 with a .585 OPS and only three homers in 234 plate appearances over his final 58 games of the season. He was a popular pick as a bounce-back candidate for ‘25.
Instead, Rutschman hit .220 with a .673 OPS -- both lows during his four-year MLB career -- and a 90 OPS+, marking the first time he finished below league average (100).
While Rutschman struggled to stay healthy amid his least productive season from an offensive standpoint, the Orioles made a long-term commitment to another catcher -- 21-year-old Samuel Basallo, the club’s No. 1 prospect (and MLB Pipeline’s No. 7 overall) who signed an eight-year, $67 million extension on Aug. 22. Naturally, trade rumors involving Rutschman began to appear.
However, president of baseball operations Mike Elias made it clear during his end-of-season press conference on Sept. 29 that Baltimore isn’t looking to move Rutschman, who is entering his second year of arbitration. Nor have the O’s lost faith in the Oregon State product.
“Adley's the guy. He will be our frontline catcher,” Elias said. “Frustrating season for him coming off of a frustrating second half, and he's aware of it. We're all aware of it. We're all working on it. There were some injuries sprinkled in this year that I think were a factor in him kind of getting out of sync again. We saw flashes of him offensively the way that he can and should be.”
That last part is true. Rutschman had a 13-game stretch from June 3-17 during which he hit .340 (17-for-50) with two doubles, three homers, five RBIs and a .964 OPS. Then, he went on the IL for the first time in his MLB career on June 21.
If Rutschman returns to form and Basallo -- who slashed .165/.229/.330 in his first 31-game taste of the big leagues this year -- develops into a star, Baltimore’s lineup will be set up for success. There’s plenty of playing time available for both, as each can get starts at catcher and designated hitter, while Basallo can also play some first base.
For much of Rutschman’s big league tenure, the Orioles’ results have correlated with his play. When he’s playing well, so are the O’s.
Now, as Rutschman tries to turn things around in 2026, he’s also confident that his team will do so as well, learning from the difficulties and challenges that came during a disappointing ‘25.
“I hope so, and I believe so, just because of the quality of the guys we’ve got,” Rutschman said. “I really believe everyone’s going to take this to heart and be ready to go.”