Orioles pitcher Shane Baz remembers ‘cool’ connection with Adley Rutschman from 2021

The Baltimore Orioles made a big offseason acquisition in December after trading several top prospects to the Tampa Bay Rays in exchange for starting pitcher Shane Baz. With Baz preparing for the 2026 season with his new team, he recalls the first time he ever connected with catcher Adley Rutschman back in 2021.

Baz, who is 26 years old, claims he remembers throwing to Rutschman in the 2021 Futures Game, according to Andy Kostka of The Baltimore Banner. It sounds like they had a nice connection back then, and the two will have a chance to shine next season.

“Shane Baz remembers throwing to Adley Rutschman one inning in the 2021 Futures Game. He recorded two strikeouts and a first-pitch groundout. ‘It was quick,’ Baz said. ‘We were on the same page the whole time, so it was cool.’ Now they’re teammates in Baltimore.”

They each joined the league around the same time. Shane Baz made his MLB debut in 2021, whereas the 27-year-0ld catcher made his professional debut in 2022. However, they each have played four seasons in the league, as Baz missed the entire 2023 campaign due to a right elbow injury he suffered in September 2022 that required Tommy John surgery.

For the past few years, the common belief around the league was that Baltimore needed to upgrade its pitching rotation. The front office finally did exactly that by dealing away top prospects Slater de Brun, Caden Bodine, Michael Forret, and Austin Overn, along with a 2026 Competitive Balance draft pick (No. 33 overall) to the Rays for Shane Baz.

Despite having a roller coaster of a season in 2025, Baz’s career ceiling is still incredibly high. He’ll have a chance to get back on track and potentially serve as the Orioles’ ace. Through four years of play under his belt, Shane Baz owns a career 4.25 ERA and 1.227 WHIP while recording 293 strikeouts through 286.0 innings pitched.

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