Los Angeles Dodgers Viewed As Major Threat To Poach Baltimore Orioles Right-Hander

The Los Angeles Dodgers are expected to be in play for the Baltimore Orioles ace in MLB free agency.

Oct 30, 2024; New York, New York, USA; Los Angeles Dodgers manager Dave Roberts (30) celebrates after winning the 2024 MLB World Series against the New York Yankees at Yankee Stadium. / Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images

It's only a matter of time before the Baltimore Orioles get an answer on what Corbin Burnes plans to do in free agency. The Orioles would certainly love him back, but they aren't the only ones who can control that.

Sure, Baltimore could offer him as much as possible and attempt to keep him because of that, but if Burnes wants to play for a different team, this would be the end of their one-year relationship.

It's unfortunate that the right-hander could be on his way out after just one season. While the move was the right one, and Burnes was never going to sign an extension when he got traded, given he was nine months away from free agency, it would've been nice to get something done.

That wasn't the case, and as a result, the Orioles will now have to deal with many of the top spenders in Major League Baseball knocking on his door.

Baltimore understood the risk and rightfully took it, as they seemed to be an ace pitcher away from competing for a World Series. Their offense failed them when it mattered most, as Burnes was lights out in his one postseason start.

His performance all year didn't help his potential price, which is only higher than it was when they initially landed him.

That should take some teams out of the mix for the former Cy Young Award winner, but it won't stop every club.

Among the teams expected to be interested in Burnes include the Los Angeles Dodgers, who've been viewed as a major threat to steal one of the top pitchers in baseball.

Rowan Kavner of Fox Sports believes it's a possibility, too, naming the Dodgers a fit for the Orioles ace.

"If there's one person who can't be blamed for the Orioles' October shortcomings, it's Burnes. Even if his strikeout rate was down, he was still every bit the ace they traded for and went out on a high note with an eight-inning, one-run wild-card performance that should have been enough for his team to secure a win. His year-to-year consistency should make any pitching-needy team feel confident in him headlining a rotation. "

Baltimore often can't compete when it comes to money with a team like Los Angeles. Don't expect that to be much different this winter, but if the Orioles view Burnes as a player they need, it might be the time they finally open the checkbook.

Until they do so, it feels safe to say that he will end up with a money hungry team like the Dodgers.