Scott Boras: 'Ownership Has to Respond' As Orioles Pursue Corbin Burnes

Super agent Scott Boras had comments for Baltimore Orioles higher-ups about Corbin Burnes' free agency.

Sep 8, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Reggie Hildred-Imagn Images

The Baltimore Orioles seem to still be in the mix for Corbin Burnes, and while many have suggested he'll sign elsewhere, nothing can be counted out until it happens.

The right-hander was among the best starters in baseball last season during his first year with the Orioles. His strikeout stuff was down some, which is concerning, but Burnes is a $200-plus million arm and should be compensated for that.

Unfortunately, Baltimore hasn't been willing to hand out those deals in the past. If history suggests anything, the Orioles will lose their ace this winter to a team with money to spend.

With new ownership in place, there's no better time to prove to the fan base that they're willing to do whatever it takes to compete with the best teams in baseball.

However, speaking on the free agency case, Scott Boras, who represents Burnes, made it seem like Baltimore's ownership isn't giving him a competitive offer.

"When you have competitiveness in a market, ownership has to respond and compete with fellow owners," Boras said, according to Jake Rill of MLB.com.

Boras added that the Orioles are in the mix of what's going on, signaling the front office and ownership understand the money he's looking for.

"All those unknowns that are coupled with free agency are known to Baltimore, which gives them more of an insight and, I would assume, an aggression to continue to make this team more and more of what it needs to be at a world championship level."

As Boras mentioned, being a World Series-level team should be at the top of the priority list for Baltimore. Keeping Burnes around for the next seven-plus years would give them just that, and given most of the Orioles' top players are all young, this is the best time to spend.

In a few seasons, if Baltimore keeps around all of its young talent, they could be looking at one of the highest payrolls in Major League Baseball.

There's a scenario where the Orioles want to have as much money as possible for that time, but if Baltimore is willing to pay them in a few offseasons, why not add Burnes on top of that?

Searching for another ace won't be easy if he signs elsewhere. There are options on the market, but it isn't every year that a team like the Orioles have a pitcher of Burnes' status.

To compete for a World Series, they need the California native around in 2025.