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Samuel Basallo a Priority Catcher Addition for the Second Half?
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo reached the break at .248/.309/.464 with 16 home runs, 46 RBI, and 34 runs in 301 plate appearances. He was only 10-for-48 over his final 15 games, but four of those hits left the yard and he drove in 11. Basallo remains available in half of Yahoo leagues. Baltimore has found room for his bat alongside Adley Rutschman, using Basallo at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. The power checks out: a 91.5 mph average exit velocity, 46.2% hard-hit rate, 13.1% barrel rate, and .482 expected slugging percentage. He does chase too much, at 40.2%, so the average may come and go. That is a manageable trade-off at catcher. RotoBaller ranks Basallo 22nd overall for the weekend, second among catcher pickups, and recommends him in 10-team leagues. He is a priority add for managers still searching for second-half power at the position.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Ike Irish Pushing for Late-Season Promotion to Double-A
Baltimore Orioles catching prospect Ike Irish has had a productive debut season at High-A but has begun to take a massive step forward over the last month. Over his most recent 20 contests (since June 16), the Auburn product has posted a stellar .321/.438/.526 line with five doubles, one triple, three home runs and seven stolen bases. More importantly, during this stretch, the young catcher has shown a strong eye at the dish, holding a 14:15 K:BB. In comparison, the 19th overall pick from last summer's draft carried a much lower .240/.349/.464 line with a .813 OPS, 10 home runs and 10 stolen bases over the first 50 games of the campaign. Dynasty managers should continue to monitor his progress as the 22-year-old will continue to emerge as one of the game's top young catchers.
Source: MiLB.com
Source: MiLB.com
Samuel Basallo a High-End Power Option at Catcher?
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo gives fantasy managers a power path at one of the thinnest positions. The 21-year-old is hitting .248 with 14 home runs, 42 RBI, 32 runs, and a .761 OPS over 262 at-bats. There is no speed here, and the recent average has been shaky, so this is not a clean five-category pickup. But catcher power that can move a fantasy lineup is hard to leave on the wire. The batted-ball data backs up the home run total. Basallo owns a 91.3 mph average exit velocity, 45.0% hard-hit rate, and 12.2% barrel rate, which is real impact contact for the position. The downside is batting-average drag if the strikeouts pile up. Still sitting at 49% rostered in Yahoo leagues, Basallo fits as a power add in 10-team formats, matching RotoBaller's latest waiver recommendation.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samuel Basallo is Gaining Traction Quickly
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo has been experiencing some good times at the plate recently. The fun continued for Basallo during Friday's game against the Cincinnati Reds. The young catcher went 1-3 with a two-run home run and a walk in the win. It was his 13th blast of the year, which ties him with Carter Jensen for fourth among rookies this season. Over the last 15 games, Basallo is hitting .255 with three homers and 10 RBI. It's never easy for fantasy managers to find a consistent hitter at the catcher spot. Basallo has shown impressive power numbers this season and is deserving of a look in more fantasy leagues going forward.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Adley Rutschman Reinstated and Starting on Sunday
The Baltimore Orioles announced on Sunday that they reinstated catcher Adley Rutschman (head) from the seven-day concussion injured list and designated catcher Sam Huff for assignment in a corresponding move. Rutschman is right back in the starting lineup for Sunday's series finale against the visiting Washington Nationals and right-hander Zack Littell, doing the catching for right-hander Kyle Bradish and batting third for the O's. Samuel Basallo will move to first base, with Pete Alonso serving as the designated hitter. With Rutschman back, the O's can now mix and match again at catcher, first base, and DH with him and Basallo. The 28-year-old switch-hitting former first overall pick in 2019 out of Oregon State University returns to a .254/.329/.458 slash line with a .787 OPS, eight home runs, 40 RBI, and 26 runs scored in his 54 games played in 2026. The two-time All-Star has struck out at a career-low 14.5% clip, and he could be on the verge of a breakout in the second half with a .275 xBA and .354 xwOBA.
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Source: Baltimore Orioles
Samuel Basallo a Must-Add Catcher in 12-Team Leagues?
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo showed off his power on June 24, launching two homers and driving in four against the Los Angeles Angels. It was his first career multi-homer game, but Basallo is not living off one big night. The 21-year-old is batting .254 with 12 homers, 36 RBI, and 29 runs across 232 at-bats. His .472 expected slugging percentage and 12.0% barrel rate support the production. The weak side of the profile is clear. Basallo has one homer and a .487 OPS in 56 at-bats against left-handed pitching, compared with 11 homers and an .860 OPS against righties. Adley Rutschman (concussion) is close to returning, which could cut into Basallo's starts behind the plate, but Baltimore has already used him at catcher, first base, and designated hitter. Rostered in 50% of Yahoo leagues and RotoBaller's top catcher add in 12-team leagues, Basallo is a priority pickup for managers who need power at the position.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Samuel Basallo Up to 12 Homers After First Multi-Homer Game on Wednesday
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo recorded the first multi-homer game of his career on Wednesday in the team's 7-6 loss in 10 innings to the hosting Los Angeles Angels. Basallo went 2-for-5 with two home runs, four RBI, and two strikeouts to raise his season batting average to .257 and his OPS to .782. It was nice to see Basallo have a good game after entering Wednesday's contest with a .177 average (11-for-62) with a homer, a double, six RBI, four runs, five walks, and 18 strikeouts in 19 games played in June. The 21-year-old Dominican backstop is now slashing .257/.317/.465 with 12 home runs, 35 RBI, and 29 runs scored in 249 plate appearances in his first full season in the big leagues with Baltimore. Basallo will need to improve against left-handed pitchers to take the next step offensively, but he hits righties enough to be an intriguing young fantasy asset at the position. He has hit .266 (45-for-169) against right-handers this year with 10 of his 12 home runs. Basallo is currently rostered in exactly half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Adley Rutschman Lands on 7-Day Injured List
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (concussion) was placed on the 7-day concussion Injured List on Saturday. Rutschman will land on the shelf after being hit in the head by an errant throw during Thursday's game. He will be required to clear concussion protocol before returning to the O's lineup. In a corresponding move, outfielder Michael Siani is being recalled as an extra bat off the bench. Samuel Basallo and Sam Huff will split up the work behind the plate while Rutschman is sidelined. Fantasy managers should stay tuned for updates on Rutschman's status.
Source: Rich Dubroff
Source: Rich Dubroff
Samuel Basallo's Buy-Low Opportunity Emerges After Recent Struggles
Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo saw his five-game hit streak come to an end on Wednesday and has gone hitless since, marking a recent downturn after a scorching May. Basallo is hitting just .160 in June after batting .338 in May and earning consistent starting opportunities. He has already recorded over 100 more at-bats than his limited sample size in his first year in 2025 and is receiving the playing time needed to break out. The 21-year-old is slashing .254/.316/.450 with a .766 OPS across 64 games this season and has shown flashes of an elite profile despite his recent struggles. Consistency will be key moving forward, but fantasy managers may want to capitalize on this buy-low opportunity before Basallo finds his rhythm again.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Adley Rutschman Out With Head Injury on Friday Against Dodgers
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (head) is not in the team's starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, per MLB.com. Samuel Basallo is doing the catching for right-hander Trey Gibson and will bat cleanup for the O's against Dodgers right-hander Roki Sasaki. Rutschman took a ball off the side of his head while running out a ground ball in the ninth inning of Thursday's contest against the Seattle Mariners and was forced to leave the game. It's unclear if he has cleared the concussion protocol, but in the meantime, he'll miss at least one game. Fantasy managers will want to check back on Saturday to see if Rutschman is feeling good enough to return to the diamond for Game 2 of the series at Dodger Stadium. The 28-year-old switch-hitter and two-time All-Star enters Friday's game hitting .254/.329/.458 with a .787 OPS, eight home runs, 40 RBI, and 26 runs scored in his 54 games and 228 plate appearances. Rutschman played in only 90 games in 2025 due to injuries, but so far in 2026, he's in the midst of a bounce-back campaign at the plate in Baltimore.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Adley Rutschman Leaves Early Thursday After Being Hit in the Head
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (head) was hit in the side of the helmet by an errant throw while trying to beat out a groundball on the infield with one out in the ninth inning in Thursday's 3-0 loss in Seattle to the Mariners, according to Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun. Rutschman was noticeably shaken up and left the game with a trainer, likely to be checked for a concussion. The 28-year-old switch-hitting backstop went 0-for-4 at the plate on the day with two strikeouts to drop his season average to .254 and his OPS to .787. At the very least, Rutschman most likely won't be in the starting lineup for Friday's series opener in Los Angeles against the Dodgers, and if he has a concussion, he'll likely land on the seven-day injured list. The good news for the O's is that they have a more than capable catcher already on the roster in Samuel Basallo to pick up the slack if Rutschman misses extended time. Rutschman is universally rostered in fantasy for his power and run production at the weak position of catcher. He came into Thursday's series finale at T-Mobile Park with a .259/.335/.467 slash line, eight homers, 40 RBI, and 26 runs scored in 197 at-bats.
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
Source: The Baltimore Sun - Matt Weyrich
Samuel Basallo Worth a Pickup After Recent Injury Scares?
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo has been a little banged up lately, first missing time with an abdominal issue and then sitting out a few games last week due to wrist discomfort that was the result of a bony growth on his left hand. The 21-year-old left-handed-hitting backstop has since returned to action, though, and he has a hit in three straight games. Basallo hasn't had the greatest month of June, going 5-for-35 (.143) with a homer, a double, four RBI, four runs scored, three walks, and 10 strikeouts, but overall on the season, he has actually outproduced fellow catcher Adley Rutschman. In 60 games and 215 plate appearances in his first full season at the big-league level with Baltimore, Basallo is slashing .258/.321/.469 with a .790 OPS, 10 home runs, nine doubles, a triple, 29 RBI, and 27 runs scored. As long as his wrist issue doesn't worsen throughout the rest of the year, Basallo can provide above-average pop while also providing a stable average at the weakest position in fantasy baseball, and he's rostered in just over half of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Samuel Basallo Back in Baltimore's Lineup Versus Mariners
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (wrist) is doing the catching for right-hander Kyle Bradish in Thursday's series finale at Camden Yards and will bat fifth against Seattle Mariners right-hander Bryan Woo, per MLB.com. Basallo has been dealing with a bony growth on his left wrist and was held out of the starting lineup for each of the last three games. It's something that he could deal with going forward, but for now, the left-handed slugger will return to the O's lineup for the series finale against Seattle. The Dominican backstop will return to a .263/.327/.475 line with an .801 OPS, nine home runs, 27 RBI, and 25 runs scored in his 179 at-bats in his first full year in the majors. Basallo has been much better against right-handers this year, going 36-for-133 (.271) against them with eight of his nine home runs on the year. The young catcher has struggled so far in June, though, with just two hits in 22 plate appearances over eight games.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Adley Rutschman Returns From Hamstring Injury on Thursday
Baltimore Orioles catcher Adley Rutschman (hamstring) is back in the team's starting lineup for Thursday's series finale against the visiting Seattle Mariners and right-hander Bryan Woo, serving as the designated hitter and batting third in the order, per MLB.com. Rutschman will return to the O's lineup after missing the last three games with tightness in his left hamstring. The 28-year-old switch-hitter has been swinging the bat much better of late, going 13-for-42 (.310) with a homer, four doubles, a triple, 10 RBI, and seven runs scored in his last 11 games since May 27. Overall, the former first overall pick out of Oregon State is slashing .267/.343/.489 with a career-best .832 OPS, eight home runs, 36 RBI, and 25 runs scored in 48 games across 204 plate appearances in his fifth year in the big leagues. Fantasy managers will want to get the two-time All-Star back into their starting lineups now that he's been cleared of his hamstring injury. In three career at-bats against Woo, Rutschman has a home run and two RBI.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Samuel Basallo Sitting for Third Straight Game on Wednesday
Baltimore Orioles catcher Samuel Basallo (wrist) is sitting out of a third straight game on Wednesday versus the visiting Seattle Mariners due to left-wrist discomfort, per MLB.com. With fellow catcher Adley Rutschman (hamstring) also out for a third straight contest, Sam Huff is doing the catching for right-hander Brandon Young and will bat ninth against Mariners right-hander George Kirby. Basallo is dealing with a bony growth in his left wrist and is considered day-to-day. Fantasy managers should check back on Thursday to see if he's available for the series finale against Seattle at Camden Yards. The 21-year-old left-handed slugger also missed some time recently with an abdominal injury, so he's been a bit banged up lately. In his first full season in the majors in 2026, the Dominican backstop is slashing a solid .263/.327/.475 with an .801 OPS, nine home runs, nine doubles, 27 RBI, and 25 runs scored for the O's across his 56 games and 199 plate appearances.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
