MLB News and Rumors: Pete Alonso's future, expansion chatter, Adley Rutschman buzz

Pennant races around the league are heating up as we're a few days away from September baseball, the trade deadline is long in the rear-view mirror and the offseason is looming. However, there's still plenty of buzz in the rumor mill as fans try to figure out what could happen with prominent players on their teams, the future of the league itself and maybe an eye toward free agency.

While some clubs are focusing in on the stretch run others are already planning their offseason, some are doing both. Whether it's a trade, a free-agent contract or decisions on top prospects, here are some of the latest updates from around MLB.

For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.

Will Orioles trade Adley Rutschman?

As soon as the Baltimore Orioles signed top catching prospect Samuel Basallo to a contract extension the baseball world went into a frenzy, trying to figure out where Adley Rutschman's next team would be. Yet, according to FanSided's MLB insider Robert Murray, it's not so simple.

Rutschman, 27, has been a severe disappointment in 2025, with the Orioles. The switch-hitting catcher is only hitting .227/.310/.373, and has a 92 wRC+ in 85 games. He was supposed to be the face of the franchise and now fans want him gone. What would make this situation even worse? Trading Rutschman at his lowest value, which is why Murray believes it is extremely unlikely that the Orioles will trade away Rutschman this offseason.

Rutschman has made two AL All-Star teams and won a silver slugger. To trade him now, when he is having a career-worst season, would mean committing to a lackluster return. Mike Elias knows better than that. The Orioles would get pennies compared to what Rutschman is actually worth and what he can be. They should be in zero hurry to move him and instead try to maximize him on the field.

Salt Lake City, Nashville favorites for MLB expansion cities

The Athletic recently got its hands on progress reports from the six cities with established expansion efforts as MLB looks to add two more franchises before commissioner Rob Manfred retires in 2029.

According to people in the industry, Salt Lake City and Nashville are still considered the favorites to be picked as the two new MLB cities once Manfred decides where the league will expand to. Here are some of the other major talking points from The Athletic's report on MLB's expansion plan.

• Groups working on building expansion bids project it will be between $2-2.5 billion
• Nashville group missing key components for bid, including general partner and a stadium site
• Orlando group announced $3 billion in total funding toward an expansion fee and the club’s portion of stadium costs
• Raleigh has more momentum at bid than Charlotte in North Carolina
• Portland group has a signed sale and purchase agreement for stadium site, plus up to $800 million in public funds
• Salt Lake City has a general partner, stadium site and up to $900 million in public funds in place for bid

David Stearns mum on Pete Alonso's future

The New York Mets eventually re-signed slugging first baseman Pete Alonso last offseason, agreeing to a two-year, $54 million contract. The deal also included an opt-out after 2025, and Alonso will most certainly test free agency once again as he's currently having his best year at the plate since 2022.

Alonso is slashing .265/.347/.506, with 29 home runs and a 138 wRC+ through 133 games and there's no doubt the 30-year-old wants to secure a long-term contract following 2025 as a potential strike looms when the CBA expires after the 2026 season.

David Stearns joined Jon Heyman and Joel Sherman on this week's episode of The Show and when talking about the possibility of bringing back Alonso after this season the Mets' president of baseball operations didn't share much at all on the team's future plans for the first baseman.

But who knows, that smirk was permanently on Stearns' face when talking about Alonso, so maybe the Mets have a good idea of how offseason negotiations will go with Scott Boras.

Giants unlikely to call up top prospect

The San Francisco Giants aren't playing for much in the final month of the regular season and if fans were expecting to see the team's top prospect up from the minors in September, they're going to disappointed.

Giants' beat reporter Susan Slusser wrote earlier this week in the San Francisco Chronicle that the team will most likely have 20-year-old prospect Bryce c finish the year at Triple-A. The 2023 first round pick has 22 home runs this season, but has struggled as of late in Triple-A, where the left-handed hitter is slashing .214/.290/.446, in his last 14 games with 20 strikeouts in 62 plate appearances.

Buster Posey pretty much shut down the possibility of Eldridge getting a September call up, telling the San Francisco Standard the following.

While Matos figures to get a long look down the stretch, fans shouldn’t anticipate top prospect Bryce Eldridge, a power-hitting, 20-year-old first baseman, to get called up in September.

“I’d say most likely not,” Posey said. “We want him to just get that consistent play. And we want him, when his time does come, to feel like we’re putting him in the best position to hit the ground running.”

Eldridge began 2025 at Double-A and was promoted to Triple-A in June. Overall this season Eldridge has a slash line of .258/.328/.509, with a 119 wRC+.