​To say that the Baltimore Orioles have struggled this year would be an understatement. The organization had its most productive offseason in quite some time, trading for pitcher Shane Baz and outfielder Taylor Ward while signing free agent first baseman Pete Alonso alongside pitchers Chris Bassitt and Zack Eflin. Those moves were intended to bring the O’s closer to contention. The signing of Alonso was especially exciting for Baltimore fans who have been hungry for October baseball. The franchise has spent the last few years struggling despite an incredibly talented young core.Gunnar Henderson and Adley Rutschman paved the way for a 2024 playoff appearance before the O’s were swept in the AL Wild Card by the Kansas City Royals. Since then, Jackson Holliday has joined the fold despite struggling at the beginning of his MLB career. But, until this offseason, the club was missing some star power. They got that and then some with Alonso and their other additions. But this season hasn’t turned out the way the club envisioned. Entering the All-Star break, Baltimore sits 11.5 games out of first place in the AL East.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementThat being said, the club is just two games out of the final Wild Card spot in the American League. That’s more due to the weakness of the American League than to the Orioles having a particularly strong record. The O’s sit five games under .500, in fourth place in the AL East. Their woes have come primarily from an inconsistent bullpen and a lack of situational hitting. If the club can go on a hot streak before the Trade Deadline, they could seek to add to those lacking areas.Credit: Lexi Thompson-Imagn ImagesAdley Rutschman broke out onto the scene in 2022, posting an .807 OPS across 113 games behind the dish. That ranked Rutschman sixth among all MLB catchers in the category. The following year, he displayed incredible consistency with an .809 OPS in 154 games. Since then, though, the young catcher has regressed a bit. From 2024-26, Rutschman has posted a .727 OPS. That’s still above average, with the backstop having a wRC+ above 100 every year but 2025. That was the season that Rutschman played just 90 games, having been sidelined twice by oblique strains.AdvertisementAdvertisementAdvertisementIMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectRutschman and rookie Samuel Basallo comprise one of the best catching duos in MLB. Baltimore has plenty of talent behind the plate. Basallo recently signed an eight-year, $67 million contract extension after slashing .248/.309/.464 with a .773 OPS and 16 homers in his 2026 rookie campaign. Behind him, Baltimore’s No. 17 prospect, Creed Willems, has shown plenty of promise as a primary backstop with the club’s Triple-A affiliate. Despite Rutschman having just returned from the All-Star Game, it’s rumored that Baltimore could look to flip him for roster additions at the Trade Deadline.In general, the offense hasn’t been awful for the Orioles. The club ranks in t