After hours of negotiations between division rivals, the Boston Red Sox have finally, officially traded for Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman, according to Jeff Passan.
There is much room for debate over Rutschman's value. The former first overall pick is a three-time All-Star, but he's still been a rather disappointing player relative to his hype as a prospect. Rutschman is also injured at the time of the Red Sox's acquisition — he's been on the injured list since July 19 with wrist inflammation.
But the American League East tax is severe, and even more so with former first round picks involved. According to Jacob Calvin Meyer of The Baltimore Sun, the full return for Rutschman includes, get ready: Carlos Narváez, Anthony Eyanson, Kyson Witherspoon, Enddy Azocar. Initial reports included Red Sox No. 17 prospect Harold Rivas in the deal but MLB insider Ken Rosenthal reports that he is not included in Baltimore's return.
Eyanson is Boston's No. 2 prospect, Witherspoon ranks No. 4 and Azocar No. 5. That is a staggering package for a player who isn't even available right away. Craig Breslow giving up three of the Red Sox's top five prospects is a bold choice for a few reasons, Rutschman's underperformance being one of them.
Craig Breslow severely overpays for Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman with three top five Red Sox prospects and more
Rutschman has had three IL stints this year, including the one he's currently on. In April he spent a few weeks on the sidelines with ankle inflammation and he spent a week on the IL with a concussion in June. Taking a player with so many injuries in such a short time is a risk, especially with the Red Sox as shorthanded as they already are.
The Orioles could demand a significant return for Rutschman because he has another year of control on his contract. He's slated to become a free agent after the 2027 season. This would be fine if the 2027 season was expected to go forward as planned, but impending collective bargaining agreement negotiations between the Players' Association and owners (who continue putting forth increasingly ridiculous proposals) are bound to result in a lockout, which will cut into Rutschman's remaining year of control.
There's no doubt that it takes talent to get talent and that trade prices at the trade deadline are elevated due to desperation from contending clubs. But trading away three top prospects for an offensively underperforming former first round pick when adding to the offense is the team's No. 1 priority is a strange choice. Now, all Sox fans can hope for is an extension for Rutschman to make the deal more worth the risk.
Rutschman helps the Red Sox get closer to where they need to be offensively, but there's also no denying that Breslow overpaid out of desperation. This overpay is preferable to giving up Franklin Arias for Zach Neto, however.
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