The busy Passan also reported that the Baltimore Orioles have taken calls on catcher Adley Rutschman, second baseman Jackson Holliday, and outfielder Colton Cowser.
It comes as somewhat of a surprise, as the Orioles are still alive in the postseason hunt in a less-than-stellar American League. Rutschman has been among the team’s best hitters (when healthy), and Holliday has been on a hot streak of his own.
Cowser is a strong defender with the potential to hit out of the park anytime he comes to the plate.
Those three players are a microcosm of the Orioles’ season as a whole, as they have been consistently inconsistent, frustrating fans more often than not.
Rutschman has been the most sought-after, with division rivals the New York Yankees among those checking in on the former No. 1 overall pick amid a desperate need for catching help, Jon Heyman reported on X.
The 28-year-old is playing under a one-year deal worth $7.25 million.
All three players were expected to be cornerstones of a bright, World Series-filled dynastic run for the Orioles, which has not come to fruition. Still, it feels like trading any of the three would be an admission of organizational failure, from the front office to the players themselves, and that may not be a message anyone wants to send the passionate Baltimore fan base.