Baltimore Orioles Star Named ‘Reach’ for Boston Red Sox To Sign

The Boston Red Sox could be one of few teams with the money to sign Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes, but it may be unlikely.

Sep 20, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a first inning pitch against the Detroit Tigers at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Tommy Gilligan-Imagn Images

When the Baltimore Orioles start negotiating with superstar starter Corbin Burnes in the offseason, there will be a lot to think about.

First, however, it's important for them to understand that only a handful of teams around Major League Baseball have close to enough funds to land him. 

If Burnes signs for $250 million or more, there might be five to 10 teams in the league that can afford that. 

Clubs like the Boston Red Sox, New York Yankees, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, and maybe a few others. 

However, despite the Red Sox likely having the money to sign him if they chose to, Henry Blickenstaff of FanSided named them signing Burnes a "reach."

"Burnes' nearly unmatched pedigree over the past four seasons (and the fact that he’s still just 29 years old) makes him a great fit for any team. He’s thrown at least 167 innings every year since 2021, with a 3.00 ERA and 1.026 WHIP over that span. However, since Burnes is without a doubt the biggest pitching prize of the upcoming offseason, he won’t come cheap – some estimates have him signing a long-term contract at upwards of $35 million a year... Landing Burnes might not be the most realistic outcome for the Red Sox, especially given the front office's stinginess in recent years, but Sox fans can dream."

If the reality hits that Burnes does end up leaving, losing him to Boston would be the worst potential outcome.

Not only would they lose their ace and need to replace him, given the expectations they'll still have going into 2025, but him going to a division rival would be a disaster.

The Red Sox seem to be a few years away from contending, but similar to the Orioles, they have a massive collection of young talent in their farm system.

It's only a matter of time before some of their top prospects start making an impact at the Major League level, making them a threat in the division for the foreseeable future.

Adding Burnes, who's been on record saying he wants to go to a team with young talent, could be a thorn in Baltimore's side.

A lot will play out over the next couple of months, but hopefully, they'll keep him around.

If they lose the right-hander, the best outcome would be for him to go to a team like the Dodgers in the National League.