Predicting 4 Corbin Burnes Replacements For Orioles If Ace Bails In Free Agency 

The Baltimore Orioles are facing quite an uphill battle this offseason.

They’re tasked with re-signing their star outfielder Anthony Santander and their ace Corbin Burnes. Burnes is the real star that the Orioles would miss. Baltimore has developed many position players into stars, but their pitching development has been lacking.

Losing Burnes, which is growing more and more likely, would mean Baltimore would have to replace him from outside the organization.

Teams like the Boston Red Sox, Los Angeles Dodgers, and New York Mets are expected to pursue Burnes very hard this offseason.

The Orioles need an ace in 2025. What will they do and who will they target if Burnes bails in free agency this winter?

RHP Jack Flaherty, Free agent Orioles fans may not like the sound of this one. Right-handed pitcher Jack Flaherty, formerly of the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers, would be a perfect fit to be Baltimore’s ace.

Flaherty played half a season as a rental with the Orioles during the back half of 2023 and he was horrible. Baltimore didn’t even explore the idea of trying to re-sign him in the offseason.

But since then, Flaherty has proved that his time with Baltimore was a fluke and that his success is sustainable. He would be much cheaper than Burnes and the other top pitchers of the class.

Adding Flaherty would give the Orioles an ace without breaking the bank. RHP Sonny Gray, St. Louis Cardinals The St. Louis Cardinals front office has hinted that their ace Sonny Gray is available in trades this winter.

But, with Gray’s no-trade clause, things could be complicated.

Players with no-trade clauses are typically much easier to trade for because it requires the player to be OK with the trade as well, which takes a lot of leverage away from the selling team.

Gray still has some fight left in him. He wouldn’t require a huge return to St. Louis and it would give the Orioles a top-of-the-line pitcher to help lead their young staff going forward.

LHP Max Fried, Free agent If the Orioles get beat out for Burnes, they will likely get beat out for the other top arm in free agency, Blake Snell.

But one step below those two superstars is the former Atlanta Braves ace Max Fried. Fried may be the most underrated pitcher in free agency, as well as one of the most underrated pitchers in baseball, period.

His success has been sustained throughout his entire career and he’s shown no signs of being anything short of an ace.

Signing him would be cheaper than Burnes and there’s set to be less top-end competition.

The Orioles could even afford to over pay a little bit to make sure Fried comes to Baltimore.

LHP Garrett Crochet, Chicago White Sox The Athletic’s Jim Bowden recently linked the Chicago White Sox ace to the Orioles in potential offseason trade talks.

And this idea makes a lot of sense, whether the Orioles bring Burnes back or not. Crochet is an expensive trade candidate, but he’s one that the Orioles could afford to go shopping for. Baltimore has more position player talent in the big leagues and in the farm system than it knows what to do with.

Dealing from the depth of its farm system to bring in a bonafide ace is a no-brainer. Baltimore should be in on Crochet even if it signs Burnes or any other name on this list. More MLB: MLB Insider.