Baltimore Orioles manager Craig Albernaz declared on April 29, 2026, that his team possesses the premier catching tandem in Major League Baseball following a productive opening month from Adley Rutschman and Samuel Basallo.
“I’m biased, but I’d say we have the best catching tandem in baseball,” said Albernaz, as reported by roundtable.io. “They’re doing a great job at the plate and leading our pitching staff.”
Statistical data from justbaseball.com shows Rutschman is hitting .333 with a 1.020 OPS and three home runs through 14 games. Despite missing time with left ankle inflammation on April 11, he remains tied for the team lead in fWAR at 0.9.
The 28-year-old veteran has significantly improved his quality of contact, recording a career-high 47.7% hard-hit rate. He has specifically addressed past weaknesses, batting .429 against off-speed pitches compared to just .150 during the 2024 season.
Complementing Rutschman is 21-year-old Samuel Basallo, who has hit .550 with two home runs and five RBIs over his last six appearances. Basallo is currently slashing .233/.325/.452 with five home runs on the season.
The Orioles have integrated both players into the lineup by having Rutschman handle primary catching duties while Basallo frequently serves as the designated hitter. This strategy allows Baltimore to maintain both offensive threats in the batting order simultaneously.
Baltimore signed Basallo to an eight-year, $67 million extension in August 2025 to secure his long-term future. The team currently holds a 14-15 record and sits below .500 in the American League East as they await the return of injured players Jackson Holliday and Jordan Westburg.