Baltimore Orioles Offseason Begins With Massive Decision Regarding Ace

The Baltimore Orioles have a clear top priority during the upcoming MLB free agency.

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

The Baltimore Orioles have one clear priority free agent to bring back, despite a couple of intriguing players having expiring contracts.

Bleacher Report's Tim Kelly recently examined each MLB team's top free agent that needs to be brought back. For the Orioles, he landed on the clear leader of their starting rotation.

Corbin Burnes was brought in before the season in a massive trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The risk of it just being a one-year rental was always real, but now the issue has landed on Baltimore's doorstep.

"If new owner David Rubenstein wants to build up goodwill with his fanbase, he'll authorize general manager Mike Elias to spend in excess of $200 million to retain his ace," said Kelly. "There will be a ton of other teams interested in Burnes, and the field would probably be a wise bet on where he lands in free agency. But it would signal a real changing of the guard from the Angelos Era if Rubenstein and the Orioles find a way to keep Burnes."

It's not that the 30-year-old delivered some breakout performance. He's been an All-Star for four straight years now and won a Cy Young back at the start of that streak.

He was, however, the only reliable arm that Baltimore had from their presumed starting rotational last year.

They brought him in to be the top guy in an improving group of other starting pitchers. He held up his end of the deal, at least.

The righty posted a 2.92 ERA last season and was a serious Cy Young candidate before Tarik Skubal ran away with the award.

There are a handful of other impending free agents that are also worth a look at, but don't take priority over Burnes.

Anthony Santander leads that group as one of the only things that worked about the Orioles' offense this season.

Santander made his first career All-Star game this year. He's always been a promising slugger, but reached new heights this season with 44 home runs and 102 RBI.

Baltimore doesn't have an immediate answer in-house to replicate anywhere near that production right away, but pitching still might be the bigger priority.

Without Burnes holding the top of the rotation down while others struggled or spent extended periods of time on the injured list, the Orioles likely don't sneak into playoffs.

They have some young arms that will contribute next season, but no one that could come close to having the impact that Burnes would.