With the Juan Soto rumor away from the AL East, another bidding war has begun for another star. Pitcher Corbin Burnes was traded to the Baltimore Orioles by the Milwaukee Brewers before the 2024 season, and the Orioles landed him as a No. 1 option. Burnes had an impressive season, posting a 15-9 record with a 2.92 ERA, as well as only 48 walks and 181 strikeouts.

Despite the numbers, the Orioles weren’t keen on resigning him, considering how much other teams would pay for the starter. On the Fair Territory show, Ken Rosenthal explained that Soto being removed from the AL East puts all the attention on Burnes.

“(Corbin) Burnes and (Max) Fried, they’re going to get a lot of attention too,” Rosenthal said. “Look for the Blue Jays to put a monster offer together for Burnes. I expect Fried to get a lot of play as well. That’s a guy the Red Sox are going to want. Burnes is, too.

“It’s not going to be easy to get the pitching the Yankees might want. But they are going to scramble now. I would expect these pivots that we’re talking about, not just with the Yankees, but with the Red Sox and all these other clubs, they’re going to be happening quickly.”

Orioles’ Corbin Burnes could have every AL East team give him an offer

After the Yankees lost out on the Soto sweepstakes to their cross-town rival, they could be desperate for a move. Even though they still have Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton, and Gerrit Cole, they’re not getting any younger. Despite having tons of spending money, they’ll have some competition.

The Orioles made the Wild Card after winning the division in 2023. Although there was a three-game separation, having Burnes run it back can help them get over the hump.

With a core of Anthony Santander, Gunnar Henderson, and Jackson Holliday, they have the youth and experience to make some noise.

For the Blue Jays, they were dead last in the division. While they had no problems offensively, their pitching was the downfall. José Berríos was their best starter, with a 16-11 record and a 3.60 ERA. Implementing Burnes would bring youth to the rotation, as well as a clear No. 1 option.

While the same mantra applies to the Tampa Bay Rays and the Boston Red Sox, all those teams have a good chunk of change to throw at Burnes. The Orioles could also not bring Burnes back, opening up the discussion of him joining a rival. Money may talk, but Burnes could sign somewhere with the best opportunity to win. That might not even be the AL East.