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6 hours ago
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It's not every day a franchise player gets traded away, but that's exactly what happened when the Red Sox traded Rafael Devers to the San Francisco Giants. Could the move open the door for the Baltimore Orioles to make a similar move?
Adley Rutschman is a two-time All-Star and is in his fourth year as a big leaguer. His numbers are not the best this year, and the Orioles were likely not even considering trading him despite their terrible season, so far. However, seeing the Red Sox trade away Devers with eight-plus years of control could change their mind.
FanSided's Christopher Kline noted that the Devers trade may open the door for other teams to consider trading their own stars. The Red Sox managed to get the Giants' No. 4 prospect, two big leaguers and another prospect while getting rid of the rest of Devers' $313 million deal. Imagine what the Orioles could get for Rutschman, considering his age and contract.
"This has been a brutal season for the 27-year-old," wrote Kline. "It's probably a little early to panic, but also, his numbers have been on a steady decline since his breakthrough rookie campaign. With a .698 OPS and 102 OPS+, it feels rather bleak right now. He's a two-time All-Star and a Silver Slugger, only midway through his fourth MLB season. He's also under contract through 2027. But, if the Orioles are worried about the trend line and want to hit abort while Rutschman still has lingering appeal around the league... now is the time.
"The O's are 10 games below .500 and while the product has improved of late, they have a steep mountain to climb in the AL East. Most fans would tell you Baltimore should hold fast and embrace the struggle. This is a talented roster that has made the playoffs two years in a row. Former No. 1 pick Jackson Holliday is just starting to find his swing at the MLB level. But if Rutschman can get you a few top-level prospects to replenish the farm system, while opening the door for top prospect Samuel Basallo — a 6-foot-4, 20-year-old catch slugging his way to a .959 OPS in Triple-A this season — then maybe, just maybe, Mike Elias talks himself into a deal."
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Rutschman seemingly has a long career ahead of him and can be the face of a franchise for years to come. Even in a down year, he can be a contributor on a contender. The Orioles could land multiple top prospects from an organization while also avoiding having to pay Rutschman when the time comes. Rutschman would likely demand a haul similar to what Devers would have yielded had he not been signed to a lucrative deal.
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