Orioles fans would hate to see Corbin Burnes end up on one of these rosters

There have been one or two conflicting reports about Corbin Burnes’ future but pretty much all signs point toward him getting a truck load of cash this winter. It’s still unclear where that money will come from, as free agency doesn’t officially open until 5 days after the conclusion of the World Series and Burnes has kept his intentions under wraps.

At present, it feels unlikely that the Orioles will shell out the necessary contract it’ll take to win Burnes’ services. It’s fair to assume that Burnes will earn in the neighborhood of $200 million, with Aaron Nola’s 7 year, $172 million deal being a fair comparison.

The Orioles have hinted at the fact that they’ll look to increase payroll this winter. David Rubenstein came out recently and said that he isn’t getting any younger, and that he wants to bring a World Series championship back to Baltimore as soon as possible.

Despite that, GM Mike Elias has never been one to go for the massive free agent contracts, especially when it comes to starting pitchers. So it would seem that Burnes is destined to pitch elsewhere in 2025. If the Orioles do decide to let Burnes walk, it could come back to bite them depending on where he ends up. Here are a few potential worst-case scenarios for the Orioles if they opt to let Burnes leave.

The Yankees could shell out top-dollar to stack their rotation

After losing the AL East to the Yankees in brutal fashion, this is just about the worst potential landing spot for Burnes if you’re an Orioles fan. The Yanks are back in the World Series for the first time in 15 years and it’s possible that they’ll retain Juan Soto in free agency as well. They’ll likely prove to be a tough opponent for the Orioles for years to come, even without Burnes in their rotation.

Yankees’ nominative ace Gerrit Cole has an opt-out after this year, and it’s possible he takes it. If he wants to remain in New York, he has 4 years and $144 million sitting on the table. However, entering his age 34 season it’s possible that Cole wants to shoot for a 5 year deal or more.

If Cole opts out, it becomes much more likely that the Yankees would pursue Burnes. They might not look to add pitching if Cole sticks around but in the event they’re in the market for a starter, Burnes makes a lot of sense for them.

Burnes could wind up with yet another division rival in Boston

If Burnes is going to leave in free agency, it would be ideal if he could at least get out of the AL East. The Red Sox are desperate for a good starting pitcher and Burnes fits their needs about as well as any other free agent on the market.

Thanks to a brutal five year stretch, the Red Sox are hungry to build out a playoff roster. Adding an elite starting pitcher to pair with Tanner Houck is at the top of their wish list and we all know that they have the payroll space to fit someone like Burnes into their budget.

If Burnes winds up in Boston, he’ll likely haunt the Orioles for the life of his contract. If the O’s do somehow get into a bidding war with one of their AL East counterparts and lose, it’ll only make it that much worse.

Burnes could create a terrifying duo in Detroit

One of the things Burnes has said about his free agency is that he’s looking to play for a team that has a chance to win, and particularly has a fair amount of young star talent. Detroit fits that mold in a few ways. They have a monster in Tarik Skubal atop the rotation already, and their offense has a few young studs in Riley Greene and Colt Keith.

On top of the talent they already have, the Tigers were one of the most impressive teams in the second half and made an incredible push to make the playoffs. They’ll have money to spend in the offseason, as they don’t have many bad contracts outside of the Javy Baez deal.

Burnes could help take the Tigers to the next level and be a thorn in the Orioles’ side for years to come. Yes, they play in a different division. However, the Orioles and Tigers are in a similar spot, with both having good young rosters and being poised for long term success. It’d be preferable if Burnes wasn’t there helping them along.