11:24am: Jon Heyman of The New York Post reports that the sides are moving closer to a deal.
11:16am: The Red Sox and Orioles have had conversations about Baltimore catcher Adley Rutschman, reports Mark Feinsand of MLB.com. The New York Post’s Joel Sherman similarly reports that Boston is making a push for Rutschman but notes that the medical review would be important with the former first overall pick currently sidelined by a left wrist issue.
O’s president of baseball operations Mike Elias said over the weekend the team was open-minded to conversations on Rutschman. They’re only 2.5 games back in the Wild Card picture but haven’t played as well as hoped and are four games below .500. That has them straddling the buy/sell line and exploring offers on short-term pieces. Baltimore already traded fifth starter Dean Kremer and has moved more aggressively this morning, agreeing to send left fielder Taylor Ward to Seattle as well.
Boston has pursued catching help with Carlos Narváez struggling offensively. Rutschman, a switch-hitter with a .251/.331/.433 slash line across 284 plate appearances this season, would be a marked upgrade. The former first overall pick is a career .254/.342/.414 hitter in nearly 2500 plate appearances. Rutschman is also a fantastic defender is all areas and highly regarded as a leader of a pitching staff.
More to come.
