I haven't even thought about Orangeshipping at all for a long time yet still went on a frantic search to find out what could have prompted that when I saw your message

Guess I never truly lost interest in the whole thing like I'd thought.
Truthfully if this has happened as I understand it to have I don't think anybody wins here? It's all going to be off-screen and never actually shown, tantalisingly hinted at without being given any substance at best. If it is just being used as a means of not having to show them whenever Ash is in a position for that to happen then it's hard to take it as a major endorsement from the writers at all tbh.
Hope all has been well for you in the past couple of years. Do you still watch at all? I'd have to be close to the point where I've missed more of the show than I've seen, but I've thought about trying to catch up again.