The Boston Red Sox needed a catcher before the 2026 MLB trade deadline.
They decided Adley Rutschman was worth the huge cost and dealt to acquire him from the Baltimore Orioles.
Down the stretch, including the postseason, Rutschman hit .216 with a .661 OPS.
At least viewed through one lens, it looks like the Red Sox may have traded for the wrong catcher.
What Other Catcher?
Statistician Paul Hembekides took to X on Friday with a seemingly random conclusion: The Red Sox paid way too much for Rutschman when Liam Hicks was available.
Hicks was played for the Marlins and having a big first half, but there was doubt about his game. He hadn’t been a No. 1 overall pick like Rutschman. He hadn’t been a top prospect, either.
What that ignored was that Hicks had entered this season with notable swing changes. They got him off to a fast start, and he didn’t slow down much.
Now, Hicks is still playing in the postseason while Rutschman is at home.
That’s because the Tampa Bay Rays, for a much lower cost, picked up Hicks from the Marlins before the deadline.
Since then, Hicks has hit .274 with a .787 OPS. He’s also had better fielding numbers.
And the icing on the cake is that Hicks is under club control through 2031, compared to through 2028 for Rutschman.
Post-deadline including postseason:
Adley Rutschman (2028 free agent) .216/.269/.392 | +2 FRV
Liam Hicks (2031 free agent) .274/.365/.422 | +4 FRV
For a fraction of the price. Neander cooked.
— Paul Hembekides (Hembo) (@PaulHembo) October 9, 2026
Red Sox Cost
To acquire Rutschman (and veteran catcher Jake Rogers and cash) from the Baltimore Orioles, the Red Sox had to pay big time.
They sent two of their top pitching prospects, right-handers Anthony Eyanson and Kyson Witherspoon. Heading into the deadline, it was assumed Boston would keep at least one of those guys, but both went in the same deal.
They also traded young outfield prospect Enddy Azocar, as well as big league catcher Carlos Narvaez.
The deal also included a spot for a player to be named later.
In essence, it felt a lot like they were trading for Rutschman’s pedigree as a former top pick. Rutschman had been a rising star early in his career, but the last couple seasons didn’t resemble that.
He’s still a decent big league catcher, but if he never returns to his early-career form, Rutschman won’t be a player worth what the Red Sox traded for him.
And when you factor in that Hicks was just sitting out there to be had and that Boston went with Rutschman instead, it probably hurts even a little more now.
Red Sox Trading for Adley Rutschman Wasn’t Right Catcher