Baltimore Orioles Ace Lands Lucrative $255 Million Deal in Latest Contract Prediction

The Baltimore Orioles have to understand the price an ace cost when free agency rolls around.

Oct 1, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a pitch against the Kansas City Royals in the first inning in game one of the Wild Card round for the 2024 MLB Playoffs at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

Unless the Baltimore Orioles trade for Garrett Crochet, and the left-hander would be willing to play on his current deal, there isn't any excuse for them not to re-sign Corbin Burnes.

The only time it might be acceptable is if Burnes signed an offer that simply wouldn't make much sense from the Orioles' perspective to hand out. That would have to hit the $300 million mark, but many predictions don't expect that to be the case. 

The issue with replacing Burnes is that, unless they could trade for Crochet, there aren't many pitchers who do what he does and don't make much money.

Ace pitchers are expensive, and unfortunately, Baltimore will have to pay the price to keep theirs around. 

Burnes should comfortably receive $200 million. That figure could be as high as $275 million, but somewhere around those two seems likely.

Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report is in the same ballpark, predicting the right-hander to earn a seven-year, $255.5 million deal.

"The two sides did not end up coming together on a new contract, but the figure I floated in that article still makes sense as his potential earning power. A seven-year, $255.5 million contract would give him a $36.5 million AAV, coming in just ahead of the $36 million AAV of Gerrit Cole's deal with the New York Yankees. That number is a logical target for Burnes as a perennial Cy Young candidate and the top starting pitcher on the market, and if he prefers a long-term contract over a shorter deal with a higher AAV, he should be able to hit that mark."

They could look at the other free agency decisions they'll have to make with some of their young talent in the foreseeable future and decide to let him walk.

However, there wouldn't be much of a reason to pay those guys without having a pitcher who could go out and almost guarantee them a quality start in every game they pitch.

Burnes gave them just that, arguably the most valuable aspect to any team in baseball.

The campaign ended poorly, and while the front office will have to make some tough decisions about improving their roster, Burnes is the most important one this offseason.

They can't allow him to walk to another contending team in the American League, as that would directly affect their chances of winning a World Series.

If that door is even halfway open, there's a chance that will play out.