MLB Rumors: Predicting the 4 new teams checking in on Blake Snell, Jordan Montgomery

Mystery team No. 1: Baltimore Orioles

Not long after the "four new teams" report dropped, ESPN's Buster Olney presented an enticing possibility. The Baltimore Orioles need pitching and their payroll comes in around $100 million, which is comically low for a 101-win team. Why not?

Baltimore was notoriously stingy under former owner John Angelos, but new ownership came into power this winter and immediately worked out a deal for 2021 NL Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. The Orioles already have one top-line ace, easily one of the best pitchers in the game. Unfortunately, the best teams — at least in the postseason — tend to have multiple stars on the mound.

Kyle Bradish is expected to miss some time, which opens the door wider for another starter. Grayson Rodriguez has electric stuff, but the 24-year-old is a few years away from outright stardom. The Orioles are a team that will continue to improve through internal growth, but World Series windows don't stay open forever. The O's have a legitimate chance right now, and there's no good reason to waste it.

Especially if the contract is only a few years in length, Baltimore should absolutely be placing a call for Snell or Montgomery. Either would be magical as Burnes' partner in crime. The ideal outcome for Baltimore is to lock up a great pitcher in the short term while maintaining the long-term flexibility to eventually re-sign all their young, burgeoning stars when the time arrives.