Baltimore Orioles Pitcher Named ‘Realistic’ Fit for Chicago Cubs Rotation

The Baltimore Orioles could lose their ace in the next few months and the Chicago Cubs are a logical landing spot for him.

Aug 28, 2024; Los Angeles, California, USA; Baltimore Orioles starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) delivers to the plate in the first inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. / Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

As the Baltimore Orioles get closer to the offseason, the reality is starting to sit in. They have a real chance of losing ace pitcher Corbin Burnes, which would be a major issue. If the Orioles lose their star, they'd be in the same position they were in less than 12 months ago. 

Entering the 2023-24 offseason, it was clear that Baltimore needed an ace-caliber arm. Not only did they find one with the right-hander, but Burnes has a strong argument to be the best in baseball when he's at the top of his game.

His past few starts haven't gone as planned, but that doesn't take away from the campaign he's had. Until about a month ago, he was firmly in contention for the American League Cy Young Award.

It'll be another year where he finishes in the top five in Cy Young Award voting, showing how impressive he's been throughout his career. He's the exact type of pitcher the Orioles need to contend with the other top teams around Major League Baseball. 

However, multiple teams should be interested in his services this winter. One of those ball clubs might be the Chicago Cubs. Burnes has a connection with Cubs manager Craig Counsell, having played with the skipper with the Milwaukee Brewers until this season. 

The rumors between Burnes and Chicago haven't gone unnoticed, as it's one of the bigger ones around baseball at the moment. Zachary Rotman of FanSided brought them up again, writing that Burnes would complete the Cubs' "realistic" rotation.

"A trio of Burnes, Steele, and Imanaga would instantly be one of, if not the best in the National League and potentially the majors. Bringing Burnes to Chicago after the Brewers discarded him last offseason and after they stole Craig Counsell from Milwaukee would be the ultimate display of dominance. They'd have to prove it on the field, but signing Burnes can help them regain control of the NL Central. It'd be costly, but it'd be so, so, worthwhile for Jed Hoyer and Tom Ricketts to get this done."

As he alluded to, the cost could become an issue. Chicago has the funds to do so, and the same could be said for Baltimore. However, historically, the Orioles haven't been willing to give players the type of money they're looking for. With new ownership in place, the hope around the fan base is that'll change.

It'll be put to the test shortly after the year ends, and it's a big question they need to answer. If they don't plan on spending money on a pitcher like the California native, who will they be willing to spend money on eventually?