Having a good catcher in baseball nowadays is a true luxury, but having two?
You could argue that’s the biggest positional advantage in baseball, and down the stretch, the Baltimore Orioles have gotten major contributions from both Adley Rutschman and James McCann this season.
It should suprise nobody that the Orioles have a superstar in the making in Rutschman. The first overall pick out of Oregon State has been a standout for the Orioles since the day he debuted.
The 2022 Rookie of the Year runner-up up appeared in his first All-Star Game this season and has firmly established himself as a top five catcher in the game. He’s currently slashing .274/.366/.425 on the year, and his .791 OPS ranks third among qualified catchers. While it would be nice to see Rutschman add a little more power to his game, his 12.5% walk rate and 15% strikeout rate both rank in the top 20 among qualified hitters.
Still a plus defender, Rutschman has regressed a bit behind the plate in 2023, going from an 18 DRS to just one, as he’s struggled to throw runners out. But his elite 2022 season on the defensive side should have Orioles fans optimistic.
James McCann, who came over in a trade with the New York Mets this offseason, has also quietly been very serviceable for the Orioles. Given the brutality of the catcher position, Adley obviously needs breaks, and McCann has made those decisions very easy for Brandon Hyde, especially as of late.
Sure, his .235/.275/.386 slashline leaves a lot to be desired, but with the AL East race coming down to the wire, McCann has been a big asset. Since August 1, McCann has posted a .349 batting average and .931 OPS. His three defensive runs saved and 14 runners thrown out also make him the better defensive catcher on the year.
Since the All-Star Break, Rutschman and McCann have also helped propel the Orioles to the sixth best team ERA, posting a 3.83 average in that span. Despite the nature of the position, they’ve been tough all year, as 132 of the 138 games have seen one of the two be the O’s backstop.
It would be hard to argue that consistency doesn’t positively affect the pitching staff, who don’t have to deal with adjusting to a different battery mate.
But, what do you think? Do the Orioles have the best catching duo in baseball, or does that title reside elsewhere? Let us know in the comments below! Make sure to follow The Baltimore Battery on Facebook, Twitter (X) and TikTok, and use the hashtag #baltimorebattery when sharing our content!
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