Baltimore Orioles Ace Predicted to Bolt to Division Rivals with Megadeal

The Baltimore Orioles would lose their best pitcher if this prediction came true.

Jul 30, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) delivers a first-inning pitch against the Toronto Blue Jays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles had an impressive trade deadline, landing multiple pitchers who should help the ball club as they deal with a few injuries on the mound.

However, they didn't find another elite arm, which could come back to hurt them in the next few months. If the Orioles let Corbin Burnes walk, there's a chance they'll be searching for the same exact thing they were looking for just one offseason ago: an ace.

There were rumors they were going to be aggressive in pursuing Tarik Skubal of the Detroit Tigers, which made sense for many reasons.

Not only would Skubal have given them an ace-caliber arm to pair with Burnes for a postseason push and have the best duo in baseball during the playoffs, and if Burnes leaves, Skubal would've been his clear replacement.

Burnes is on his way to potentially winning another Cy Young Award, which would be the second one of his career. He's also finished within the Top 10 in each of the past four seasons and he's all but guaranteed to at least finish top two this time around.

In 138.2 innings pitched, the California native has been as good as advertised for Baltimore. He's posted a 2.47 ERA, 3.48 FIP, and has 128 strikeouts.

Due to him pitching the way he has, there's a good chance he's going to command nearly $300 million in free agency. If history repeats itself, the Orioles aren't a team that typically gives that type of money out.

And that's exactly why Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report predicted the Boston Red Sox are going to come and steal him for $288 million spanning over eight years.

"If neither the Yankees nor the Dodgers go all-out for Burnes, there will be that much more of a window for other big spenders like the Mets, Rangers and the pick here to actually sign him: the Red Sox ... This winter should be their excuse to get back to those days, as the team they have now looks like an up-and-coming contender worth investing big bucks in."

Losing Burnes would hurt for multiple reasons, but losing him to the Red Sox, an American League East rival, would be as bad as it gets.

Considering that the core would be intact if they do decide to pay him, there isn't much of a reason why Baltimore shouldn't be trying to do everything they can to keep this team around and give themselves a chance to win multiple World Series.