After a busy offseason, the Baltimore Orioles entered the 2026 season with high expectations. However, with the end of May almost here, there is no question that the Orioles are underperforming so far this campaign.
At the time of this writing, the Orioles are at the very bottom of the American League East standings with a 21-29 record. They have also lost five out of their last six games.
With how this season has been going for the Orioles, there is a real chance that they will be making some changes to their roster between now and the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline. When noting that they are at the bottom of the AL East standings, they will likely be sellers if they do not get things back on track soon.
Due to this, one of the Orioles’ top stars has now been named as a trade candidate to watch ahead of the 2026 MLB Trade Deadline.
Orioles Star Catcher Adley Rutschman Named a Top Trade Candidate
In a recent article for FanSided, Chris Landers ranked the top MLB trade candidates at this point in the season. A notable Orioles star made the cut, as Adley Rutschman was named a top trade candidate.
“Hear me out here. The Orioles show little sign of getting hot any time soon, and if this all-in season goes pear-shaped, why wouldn’t they consider moving on from Rutschman? He has just one year of team control remaining, and the team already has his heir apparent on the roster in Samuel Basallo. The fact that the two sides haven’t come particularly close to an extension suggests they don’t exactly see eye-to-eye,” Landers wrote.
If the Orioles traded Rutschman, it would undoubtedly be a major move. The 28-year-old is one of their top players when playing at his best, so there would certainly be some real risk in trading him.
After a tough 2025 season, Rutschman has been bouncing back nicely in 2026 so far. In 33 games this campaign, he has seven home runs, 26 RBIs, and a .266 batting average. With this, the Orioles would create a notable hole in their lineup if they moved him.
However, if the Orioles end up deciding they want to shake up their roster, Rutschman would also have the potential to get them a strong return in a move. Keep in mind, he is a two-time All-Star catcher who is right in his prime at 28 years old. With this, he has good value and could be used in a trade package to improve the Orioles’ roster elsewhere.
Rutschman Not the Only Orioles Player Named as a Trade Candidate
Rutschman was not the only Orioles player who was listed as a trade candidate by Landers. Orioles outfielder Taylor Ward also made the cut and could be a popular target for teams looking to boost their outfield.
In 49 games this season with the Orioles, Ward has two home runs, 14 RBIs, and a .257 batting average. This is after he hit a career-high 36 home runs last season with the Los Angeles Angels.
It will be interesting to see if the Orioles end up moving Rutschman and Ward before the deadline from here.
Baltimore Orioles Star Catcher Named Top Trade Candidate