Owner David Rubenstein says Basallo deal a 'symbolic first step' for Orioles

BALTIMORE (AP) — A day after Samuel Basallo became the first young Baltimore Orioles player to sign a long-term, pre-arbitration contract extension under the current regime, owner David Rubenstein suggested he won't be the last.

The Orioles celebrated the completion of an eight-year, $67 million deal with the rookie catcher during a Saturday news conference attended by most of Basallo's teammates. Among them: shortstop Gunnar Henderson and fellow catcher Adley Rutschman, the first All-Stars drafted by general manager Mike Elias.

Despite payroll jumps of approximately $40 million in back-to-back seasons, Baltimore's inability to reach long-term deals with Henderson, Rutschman or other young regulars has exacerbated tensions during a disappointing season.

Rubenstein assured fans it wasn't for lack of effort, and that locking down a 21-year-old who is the game's No. 8 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline, is part of a larger strategy.

“Everybody's disappointed,” Rubenstein said of the Orioles' 59-69 record entering Saturday. “In my own life, like many of you, I’ve had disappointments before. And you pick yourself up, you get back on your feet, you kind do the best you can and move forward. So we’re going to move forward. This is a very important symbolic first step as we move forward. We’re very pleased with this decision but we hope we can have others like this at some point. We’re going to work on that.”

Rutschman was terrific for his first couple of years in the majors, but he slumped toward the end of 2024 and has hit .227 during an injury-plagued 2025. Now the Orioles have made a commitment to Basallo, who can also play first base. Elias suggested Basallo and Rutschman — who is under team control through the 2027 season — could coexist.

“From my point of view, the more the merrier when it comes to good players,” Elias said. “We’ve got a lot of guys here, Samuel included, who are really good athletes that can play multiple positions. And the fact that we have multiple great catchers is a good thing. And we’re going to be able to put guys at first base and DH and share those at-bats.”

Basallo had only 16 major league at-bats entering Saturday's game against Houston, but his extension is already the third pre-arbitration deal handed out to a rookie this season. Boston secured agreements with outfielder Roman Anthony and second baseman Kristian Campbell.

“Obviously, it’s life-changing money, and it’s a big blessing that God has placed over my family,” Basallo said through an interpreter. “We don’t yet know what we are going to do. We know we have plans and people that are going to help us figure that out. But right now my focus is to play baseball and do everything that I can to help the team win games.”

The Dominican Republic native is the first Orioles player to sign an extension before completing his arbitration years since outfielder Adam Jones agreed to a six-year, $85.5 million deal in 2012. Jones would have been a free agent following the 2013 season.

“This is something that is not easy for the organization or players to line up on, that’s part of it. That’s OK,” Elias said. “But we work very hard at this. And any time we think there’s an opportunity to line up and have it make sense for both parties, it’s something that we discuss and explore.”

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Baltimore Orioles' Samuel Basallo, second from right, poses for a photograph with his family and girlfriend after a press conference for his contract extension Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Baltimore Orioles executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias, left, and rookie catcher Samuel Basallo, right, share a laugh during a press conference after Basallo's signing of a contract extension Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

Baltimore Orioles' Samuel Basallo looks on during a press conference after signing a contract extension Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

From left to right, Baltimore Orioles owner David Rubenstein, executive vice president and general manager Mike Elias, rookie catcher Samuel Basallo and vice president of international scouting Koby Perez take questions from the media during Basallo's contract extension press conference Saturday, Aug. 23, 2025, in Baltimore. (AP Photo/Terrance Williams)

WENGEN, Switzerland (AP) — Marco Odermatt already has no equals on the World Cup skiing circuit.

Now the Swiss star is unmatched in the biggest event on home snow, too.

Odermatt dominated a shortened race Saturday to set up his fourth career downhill victory in Wengen — breaking a tie for the most downhill victories on the famed Lauberhorn course with Franz Klammer and Beat Feuz.

Austrian standout Klammer claimed his three Wengen downhill wins in the 1970s while Feuz, another Swiss skier, claimed his third victory in 2020.

What’s more is that Odermatt’s four wins have come in succession.

Odermatt finished a massive 0.79 seconds ahead of Austria’s Vincent Kriechmayr and 0.90 ahead of Italy's Giovanni Franzoni, who claimed his first career victory in Friday's super-G.

Strong winds prompted organizers to drastically shorten the course — making the narrow and tactical “Kernen S” section the key to the race. Odermatt mastered the section perfectly and carried away a faster speed on the exit than anyone else.

Franjo von Allmen and Alexis Money, two other Swiss skiers, finished fourth and fifth, respectively.

Von Allmen, the world champion in downhill last season, took a riskier approach and skied into a television camera lining the course inside the “S” section. Then he crashed in the finish area — although appeared unhurt.

Dominik Paris of Italy was sixth after registering the top speed at 151.57 kph (94 kph).

It’s the first of the two weekends at the circuit’s classic venues, with Kitzbuehel, Austria, up next. Then the focus will switch to the Milan Cortina Winter Olympics in Italy — with the men to ski in Bormio.

Odermatt won gold in giant slalom at the 2022 Beijing Olympics and will be favored to win multiple medals at the upcoming Games.

Overall, it was Odermatt’s 52nd World Cup victory, moving him within two wins of matching Hermann Maier for third place on the all-time men’s list. He's also got a massive lead in the standings as he chases a fifth consecutive overall World Cup title.

Odermatt immediately knew he had done something special again, screaming with delight in the finish area and waving to the crowd, which was made up almost entirely of fans waving Swiss flags.

AP Olympics: https://apnews.com/hub/milan-cortina-2026-winter-olympics

Switzerland's Franjo von Allmen crashes at the finish area of an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Wengen, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Giovanni Zenoni)

Spectators gather to follow an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Wengen, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Jean-Christophe Bott/Keystone via AP)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts in the finish area during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Wengen, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt speeds down the course during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill, in Wengen, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (AP Photo/Gabriele Facciotti)

Switzerland's Marco Odermatt reacts in the finish area during an alpine ski, men's World Cup downhill race, in Wengen, Switzerland, Saturday, Jan. 17, 2026. (Peter Schneider/Keystone via AP)