After the Baltimore Orioles failed to sign Blake Snell and are unlikely to re-sign Corbin Burnes, a new report points to a pair of lower-cost veteran pitchers the team could be targeting.

There were positives to take out of the 2024 Orioles season. Sure, they won 10 fewer games than they did last year.

But the division was much better, including rivals, the New York Yankees. And their 91 wins this year were the second most they’ve had over the last decade. Nevertheless, their shocking ouster in the Wild Card Round of the playoffs left a bitter taste.

They have a strong batting order, even if they lose Anthony Santander in free agency. However, maintaining and bolstering their starting rotation is a priority for the organization this offseason.

From the start, re-signing ace Corbin Burnes was going to be difficult to achieve since he is the best arm on the market. On Monday, The Athletic MLB insider Ken Rosenthal cast further doubt on a Burnes return to Baltimore.

“Even under new ownership, it seems doubtful the Orioles will outbid the [Juan] Soto also-rans, all of whom will be itching to spend,” he wrote.

Rosenthal also reported that the Orioles were chasing both Blake Snell and Yusei Kikuchi in free agency but they are now off the market. So who could the O’s target instead to fill Burnes’ void in the rotation?

Baltimore Orioles likely to make push to sign Nathan Eovaldi or Jack Flaherty this offseason

“The Baltimore Orioles were in on Snell and Kikuchi, pitchers who were particularly attractive to them because they were not tied to qualifying offers and could be signed without losing a draft pick,” Rosenthal wrote. “[Nathan] Eovaldi and [Jack] Flaherty fall into the same category.

“[Max] Fried, [Sean] Manaea, Luis Severino, and Nick Pivetta, all of whom received (and rejected) qualifying offers, do not. Signing any of them would cost the Orioles their third-highest draft pick, which is no small consideration.”

While landing Flaherty or Eovaldi won’t blow Orioles fans’ hair back, both are good veteran starters. And both played key roles for the last two World Series Champions — the Texas Rangers and Los Angeles Dodgers, respectively.

They also would come at far lower rates than Snell got from the Dodgers and Burnes will land from his next team.