Baltimore Orioles Predicted To Lose Ace Starting Pitcher to AL East Rival

Baltimore Orioles fans are not going to be thrilled with the latest prediction from an MLB expert about their free-agent ace.

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-Imagn Images

This offseason is going to going to be a trying one for the Baltimore Orioles.

They already have some weaknesses that need to be addressed on the roster, but more could arise depending on how free agency plays out. All-Star right fielder Anthony Santander departing would create a sizable void in the lineup.

But, ownership and the front office can rest easy knowing they have an incredible crop of young players to carry the load for years to come and some more help that is waiting in the wings in the Minor Leagues.

Alas, the same can not be said about their pitching staff.

Adding reinforcements, both in the starting rotation and bullpen, was already at the top of their to-do list. If they lost their ace Corbin Burnes in free agency, a massive void would be created.

Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers last offseason, the former Cy Young Award winner was everything as advertised. He consistently performed despite an unexpected drop in velocity at points during the year and lower strikeout numbers than we have become accustomed to.

Despite that, he still went 15-9 in the regular season across 32 starts and 194.1 innings. He had a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts, anchoring the Orioles staff. The ERA was the lowest of his career in a 162-game season, as he is entering free agency at the perfect time.

That could be bad news for Baltimore, as his market is going to be massive. Plenty of teams are looking for top-end rotation help and with Blake Snell already off the board, agreeing to a deal with the Los Angeles Dodgers, more teams are going to focus on Burnes.

One of those teams could be an American League East rival of the Orioles. Andy McCullough of The Athletic has predicted that the Toronto Blue Jays will come away with the star righty in free agency.

“If the Blue Jays are serious about Soto, they should be serious about Burnes, another star represented by Scott Boras. Burnes will likely command the longest deal of all the top starters, but he also presents the longest track record of sustained success. Burnes could anchor Toronto’s rotation in 2025 and beyond.”

That would be an incredibly difficult blow for the Orioles to overcome. Not only would they be without their ace, but they would have to face him multiple times a year for the foreseeable future.

The Blue Jays should be considered a legitimate threat. They are looking to make some splashes, changing the narrative that they are only used as leverage by players and agents to extract more money out of the team they want to play for.

As McCullough stated, pitching is a need north of the border presently and for the future. They could conceivably make Burnes an offer he cannot refuse.