Cubs might pounce after unexpected twist in Samuel Basallo extension

The Chicago Cubs may quietly be in the market for a starting catcher this offseason. Unfortunately, the 2025 season has proved that availability remains the biggest thing keeping Miguel Amaya from being the everyday catcher, and Carson Kelly, as great as he's been this season, feels like a prime candidate to have Yan Gomes' type regression in 2026.

Throw in the idea that the Cubs may not feel catcher is where Moises Ballesteros will stay, and suddenly, there's a clear path to understanding why a backstop upgrade may be a part of the offseason plan.

The Baltimore Orioles' signing of their young catcher, Samuel Basallo, to an eight-year contract extension may have created an intriguing trade idea for the Cubs this offseason. The immediate implication, as implied by Bob Nightengale of USA Today, is that the Orioles will look to trade Adley Rutschman this offseason.

"There will be no bigger position player on the trade block this winter than Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman. Rutschman became expendable once the Orioles signed 21-year-old catcher Samuel Basallo to a team-friendly eight-year, $67 million contract that won’t pay him more than $1 million annually until 2029."

Unexpected Samuel Basallo twist could spark sneaky Cubs offseason move

Rutschman was well on his way to being the best catcher in Major League Baseball when he debuted in 2022, posting a wRC+ of 133 and 125 in his first two seasons. Since then, however, Rutschman's development seems to have stunted, and the result has been going from a slightly above-average offensive player last season to a slightly below-average offensive player this season. Still, under control through the 2027 season, Rutschman feels like an ideal change-of-scenery trade candidate this offseason.

Rutschman feels like the type of player the Cubs' front office would do their due diligence on. With the Cubs likely staying away from the top end of the free-agent market, targeting a player like Rutschman could be an alternative solution to improving their offense. Doing so would also give the Cubs a potential high-upside catcher, and make both Amaya and Ballesteros expendable as potential trade chips.

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