There’s no Baltimore Oriole who stands out as a symbol of the team’s current contention window than Adley Rutschman. They drafted him in 2019 with a pick they earned by finishing 47-115 the year prior, signed him for $8.1 million (which at the time was the biggest signing bonus in MLB history) and promoted him in 2022 ahead of the team’s shift back toward contention.
While Rutschman’s promotion came just three years ago, it feels more like 30 years ago right now given the Orioles are in the midst of a nightmarish season. And, as a part of that nightmare season, both fans and insiders alike have started asking uncomfortable questions about a variety of players on the Orioles roster — Rutschman included.