Baltimore Orioles Need Plan in Place if Superstar Ace Leaves in Free Agency

The Baltimore Orioles need to be prepared for the reality that they may lose their superstar

Jeff Curry-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles are about to have the their ace and the prize of free agency at least from a pitching standpoint be desired by almost every team in baseball as some huge money offers will start to roll in.

For Baltimore, while they have had the benefit in having one of the best pitchers in baseball in Corbin Burnes lead their rotation for the last year, it always came with the caveat that he was going to hit the open market this winter as Scott Boras' clients almost always do when given the opportunity. The time has come where the Orioles season is over and the focus will turn to scrambling to re-sign Burnes while still being able to have the financial breathing room to upgrade in other areas.

While new ownership has vowed to increase payroll, it's starting to feel all the more likely that Burnes is going to be pitching elsewhere in 2025. When it comes to replacing him if necessary, Tim Smart of Birds Watcher made a suggestion the the event that Burnes does leave Baltimore.

"Will the Orioles be willing to pony up that kind of money to retain him? Honestly, it doesn't seem like it," Smart wrote. "Elias isn't known for his willingness to spend above and beyond to acquire his guys, and Burnes will likely be the highest paid pitcher in free agency this winter. The most likely scenario seems like getting someone like Sonny Gray via trade. That way, the O's aren't locked into a long-term deal with a high-risk starter."

Gray was phenomenal for the Twins in 2023, coming in second for the American League Cy Young and being named to his third All Star game after a season in which he put up a 2.79 ERA over 32 starts. As a result, Gray was awarded with a three-year deal with the St. Louis Cardinals worth $75 million and while his numbers were not quite as good, he did have the second-most strikeouts in a season through his career with 203.

As the Cardinals appear set to begin a rebuild, Gray could potentially be on the trading block with two years of team control remaining at far less than what Burnes would command. By no means is Gray as good of a player as Burnes, but if Baltimore is not able to retain their ace, Gray is not a bad consolation prize.