Orioles get $167 million Adley Rutschman contract update they might not like

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Ever since Samuel Basallo signed an eight-year extension with the Baltimore Orioles, the Adley Rutschman trade rumors have swirled.

There's no guarantee Rutschman will be moved at this year's trade deadline. The former first overall pick is a cornerstone of the AL East franchise.

But there will be a conversation to be had about his future in Baltimore. Rutschman is a free agent after the 2027 season.

"Rutschman, 28, is under control for only one more season after this one. He is the 11th catcher to earn three All-Star selections within his first four seasons," wrote The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. "At this point, he is unlikely to settle for anything but a long-term deal."

What kind of money are we talking about for Rutschman, and will the Orioles be willing to offer a deal of that magnitude?

"Rutschman, then, would probably want a deal that makes him a lifetime Oriole, or close to it," Rosenthal added. "His benchmark might be the nine-year, $167 million extension Buster Posey signed with the San Francisco Giants in March 2013."

A nine-year deal would bring Rutschman to his age-37 season. That may be too long an investment. There are also injury concerns with the wear and tear of catchers.

Plus, he hasn't accomplished nearly as much as Posey did at that point of his career with the San Francisco Giants.

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"Basallo signed that deal less than a week into his major-league career. Rutschman holds considerably more leverage," Rosenthal wrote. "And the clock toward him becoming a free agent is ticking."

Is Rutschman's time with the Orioles running out? The answer is not that far away.