Could Zack Wheeler extension screw the Orioles with Corbin Burnes?

Baltimore Orioles fans rejoiced as the team finally made a big trade for a starting pitcher, acquiring Corbin Burnes in an offseason deal with the Brewers. Burnes will anchor what looks like one of the league's best rotations (when healthy) for an Orioles team that has to be considered one of the favorites to win the World Series.

The icing on the cake with this trade was the price. The Orioles did not have to even consider giving up top prospect Jackson Holliday. They did not have to give up guys like Cody Mayo or Heston Kjerstad either. The package they wound up surrendering wasn't nothing, but it was rather light. The reason for that is that the Orioles only have Burnes under team control for the 2024 season before he hits free agency.

The Orioles will obviously make every effort to keep Burnes in Baltimore for more than just one season and that does appear possible with their new ownership group in place, but Zack Wheeler's latest extension will only make things harder.

Zack Wheeler's contract extension will make it harder for the Orioles to keep Corbin Burnes

The terms of Wheeler's deal will be nothing like the contract Burnes signs this winter. Wheeler inked a three-year contract worth $126 million to remain with the Philadelphia Phillies. It's a short-term high-AAV deal which makes more sense for the 33-year-old Wheeler. 29-year-old Burnes on the other hand, will be looking for a much longer deal than the one Wheeler got.

The AAV won't be nearly as high, but Burnes' price almost certainly just went up. Wheeler got one of the highest AAVs in MLB history. Burnes is younger and as good if not better than Wheeler, meaning he's going to get a bit of a raise as a result of this.

The Orioles having their new ownership in place theoretically means they're going to start spending, but what if Burnes makes well over $30 million annually for seven years or so? Will they be willing to spend that kind of money? Will they be willing to outbid big market teams like the Mets, Yankees, Dodgers, and Giants for Burnes?

Perhaps if Burnes wants to stay in Baltimore long-term he'll choose to take a little bit less, but if his price went up and all he's after is the money then the Orioles' path to keeping him long-term became tougher thanks to this Wheeler news. The Orioles aren't completely screwed, but it's looking like more of a challenge.