The tone around the Baltimore Orioles has changed dramatically in the last calendar year.
Last winter, the Orioles acquired superstar starting pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers, punctuating the arrival of David Rubenstein as the new principal owner. But after a disappointing first-round playoff exit, the Orioles look less like a team on the rise and more like one fighting to keep its one star pitcher.
Burnes was recently projected for a seven-year, $255.5 million contract by Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report, which would demolish the Orioles’ largest deal on record, currently held by the $161 million disaster extension for Chris Davis.
It’s a lot to ask of a new ownership group, and lately, not many reports have closely linked the Orioles to a reunion. But a worst-case scenario would clearly be the four-time All-Star jumping to one of Baltimore’s division rivals.
On Monday, Michael Brakebill of FanSided predicted that Burnes would sign with the Boston Red Sox, who recently traded for Garrett Crochet and still have plenty of wiggle room with their payroll, for the 2025 season.
“The Boston Red Sox come to mind (for Burnes) because they have shown the aggressiveness needed to compete in 2025 and beyond. They went all-in for Juan Soto, missed, and followed that up with a blockbuster trade of ace Garrett Crochet,” Brakebill said.
“I predict they will sign Burnes because they haven’t spent big free-agent dollars yet. Another significant move is coming, and landing Burnes means the Red Sox’s former 1 and 2 pitchers, Tanner Houck and Kutter Crawford, become their 3 and 4, giving the Red Sox one of the best rotations in baseball.”
With Burnes and Crochet atop their rotation, the Red Sox would be unrecognizable from the team that went 81-81 and finished third behind the Orioles in 2024. And Boston re-entering the conversation as one of the league’s biggest spenders would be an unwelcome change for Baltimore as well.
The Orioles stole a player from the Red Sox when they signed Tyler O’Neill 10 days ago, but this would give Boston back the upper hand in a major way. Baltimore may just have to hope that the San Francisco Giants or some mystery team outbids their AL East foes.
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