The Boston Red Sox's issues behind the plate have been one of the club's most pronounced sore spots all season. Finding a solution to those woes could make a world of difference, but it's also a tall task. The Red Sox face some stiff competition in the catching trade market, with many contenders, including the New York Yankees and Tampa Bay Rays, also seeking upgrades to their backstop situations.
It's been a while now that the team has come into position as buyers, and this need has come to the forefront, but in that time, solutions have only become more scarce. Shea Langeliers' knee injury took him off the board. The Minnesota Twins' conviction in their ability to contend may have taken Ryan Jeffers off the board. Finally, the Colorado Rockies seem to only be interested in trading Hunter Goodman if they receive a king's ransom in return.
That leaves one other potential high-end option available in Adley Rutschman, but it won't be easy for anyone to pry him away from the Baltimore Orioles, much less a division foe like Boston, which will end up paying a premium to facilitate the move.
That hasn't stopped the Red Sox from checking in, though, as they should. However, before Craig Breslow prepares to give up the farm for the switch-hitting former No. 1 overall pick, he might want to take a beat and ask himself if the price is really worth it.
Adley Rutschman will be expensive, and the Red Sox might be wise to avoid paying a premium for his services
Rutschman had taken a downturn in 2024 after putting together two stellar seasons to begin his major league career. Then, in 2025, he seemed to sink even further, hitting just .220/.307/.366, which was good for a 91 wRC+.
This season, he appears to have righted the ship. While not quite as potent offensively as Langeliers, Goodman, or Jeffers, Rutschman's .251/.331/.433 line looks pretty enticing, especially once you consider that he is an elite defender behind the plate.
Peel back another layer of the onion, though, and you start to see a different story. The 28-year-old came out of the gate like gangbusters, slashing .356/.406/.661 over the season's first month. However, since May 1, he's hit just .218/.309/.362 over 220 plate appearances. That's a pretty large sample, and if you look closely, it's almost identical to the subpar performance he put up last season.
It's pretty clear that his April surge was the outlier and not what he's done before and after it. He's also been sidelined with a wrist injury, and while it seems like he should be back in action soon, any lingering effects would threaten his bat even more.
Now consider that Baltimore isn't exactly motivated to move him unless they get a big haul. He's under team control for another season, so while they have Samuel Basallo, they don't have to move Rutschman now. Throw in the fact that any trade the Red Sox would put together for him would come at a premium because the two clubs are division rivals, and making this move starts to look like a really bad idea.
In fact, Boston might be better off going with a cheaper alternative, such as Tyler Stephenson of the Cincinnati Reds. Stephenson is a free agent at season's end and has a similar line to Rutschman, hitting .249/.325/.397 on the season.
The difference is that the underlying data suggests that Stephenson has been a much better hitter than Rutschman this season. He ranks in the 75th percentile or better in average exit velocity, hard-hit rate, barrel percentage, and launch angle sweet spot percentage. His xBA is .255, his xSLG is .462, and his xwOBA is .345.
Stephenson also has had a progression that's more or less the opposite of Rutschman's. He came out of the gate ice cold, but has hit a sizzling .310/.360/.483 over 125 plate appearances since June 1.
Rutschman does have some redeeming value, particularly tied to his glove, and some decent under-the-surface peripherals, but the name value and playing for a division rival will make his price tag sky-high. Combine that with the history of poor offensive performance of late, and it's easy to see that he's not worth the expensive package the Orioles would demand, especially when you consider that there is a better, cheaper alternative on the market in Stephenson.
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