The Baltimore Orioles had every opportunity to re-sign former ace Corbin Burnes – or another capable free-agent starting pitcher – this winter. Instead, their answer was Charlie Morton. While ground chuck offers veteran savvy this young O's team was missing in 2024, he is far from a top-tier starting pitcher at this point in his career.
Burnes instead chose to sign closer to home with the Arizona Diamondbacks, which ponied up to the tune of a six-year, $210 million offer. Burnes took the offer in part because of the longevity of said deal. As a starting pitcher with his own injury history, the difference between a six-year commitment and four years is large. Burnes is now on the wrong side of 30 years old.
Per Orioles beat writers and Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, Burnes was offered a four-year, $180 million contract by Baltimore which would've given him the highest AAV among any pitcher not named Shohei Ohtani. That is a lot of money, but it does little to solve Burnes core concern, which is his long-term future. Burnes' family lives in Scottsdale, which made the Diamondbacks a match.
For more news and rumors, check out MLB Insider Robert Murray’s work on The Baseball Insiders podcast, subscribe to The Moonshot, our weekly MLB newsletter, and join the discord to get the inside scoop during the MLB season.
Baltimore Orioles missed their chance to re-sign Corbin Burnes
Ken Rosenthal detailed why the Diamondbacks ($) had an edge to begin with.
"But Burnes, 30, last went on the injured list for arm trouble in July 2019. He was the healthiest domestic ace to hit the market since Gerrit Cole. It was not unreasonable for him to want more than four years," Rosenthal wrote. "The state income tax rate is lower in Arizona than it is in Maryland. And Burnes, a resident of Scottsdale, Ariz., was eager to enjoy spring training and play regular-season games at home."
The Orioles had to make up ground this winter, and they failed to do so with an offer that did not live up to Burnes expectation. If any team knew what Burnes was capable of, it should've been Baltimore. The Orioles were under new ownership, and David Rubenstein could've made a big splash by keeping Burnes in Maryland for the long haul. Instead, he tried to cut corners and avoid paying a top-tier ace well into his mid-to-late 30's. In a players' market, that was never going to work out.
Orioles rotation depth will be tested this season
One thing the Orioles do have to their advantage is starting pitching depth. Zach Eflin, Morton, Cade Povich and a litany of prospects make Baltimore a contender in the weak American League, though it is tough to foresee them besting other AL East contenders like the New York Yankees, or perhaps even the Boston Red Sox without top-of-the-rotation talent. Kyle Bradish and Grayson Rodriguez could offer that in their own right, but both players are hurt as of this writing.
Burnes provided the Orioles with a service as a proven, postseason-caliber ace who aligned with the timelines of their young players. It's why they were willing to give him life-changing money last winter. Unfortunately, Rubenstein and Mike Elias didn't go far enough.