Orioles rumors: Corbin Burnes, Shane Bieber, Walker Buehler, Christian Walker

While the Orioles have yet to make a major move this winter, they've been connected to a number of high profile free agents, and have also been connected to top names on the trade market. With the expected increase in budget capacity thanks to new owner David Rubenstein, O's GM Mike Elias is under a bit of a heat lamp in terms of adding top talent this offseason.

After a massively successful 2023, the Orioles remained relatively quiet last winter. They added Corbin Burnes via trade and signed Craig Kimbrel to a one-year deal but other than that, they didn't do much. Burnes was as good as anyone could have expected but Kimbrel collapsed mid-season and ultimately, the Orioles didn't have enough in the tank to win in the playoffs.

There are plenty of reasons why it makes sense for the Orioles to target the top of the free agent pool, and Elias has spoken about Rubenstein's willingness to spend a bit more, but at the end of the day Elias is the one who needs to pull the trigger on these deals.

The most glaring hole on the Orioles roster heading into 2025 is at the top of the rotation. If Burnes signs elsewhere, the O's will have to make up that production somehow. Burnes has been linked to Baltimore as a potential candidate to return, and if the O's are willing to pony up the cash to keep him it makes a ton of sense for both sides.

Orioles rumors and free agency updates heading into mid-November

Most recently though, the Dodgers have emerged as a potential landing spot for Burnes, which could be a problem if the O's have to get into a bidding war. While the Dodgers have a few top tier pitchers already, Jon Heyman recently reported that the Dodgers have been looking into Burnes as a potential option to replace Walker Buehler in the rotation. If the Dodgers do add Burnes, that rotation will be formidable.

Speaking of Buehler, the young righty has now been connected to Baltimore by multiple MLB insiders. Most recently, Jeff Passan spoke on the Cespedes BBQ podcast about Buehler being a potential fit for the Orioles. Passan expects Baltimore to be players for multiple free agent pitchers, and potentially one or two of the top options.

Buehler is coming off a rough season overall. He missed two months with a hip injury and totaled just 75 innings with a 5.38 ERA. However, he did look strong in his limited postseason work and helped the Dodgers take home a World Series championship. If the expectation is that he'll be healthy, Buehler is a good buy-low candidate for 2025 on a short-term, higher AAV type deal.

Like Buehler, former Guardians starter Shane Bieber missed almost the entirety of 2024 after undergoing Tommy John surgery in April. Bieber exploded onto the scene with a spectacular 2020 and was a very good pitcher for Cleveland between 2020-2022. Injuries have held him back the past two years though.

While Bieber won't return for Opening Day next year, he should be back to 100% before the All Star break, if not a bit earlier. He'll likely sign a two-year deal, maybe with an opt-out, and it should be relatively affordable. Passan mentioned Bieber as a potential fit for Baltimore as well, who already have a couple starters working their way back from Tommy John.

Lastly, while Christian Walker has been written about in this space as a potential fit, by our own Brian Barr, he's being connected to a number of teams outside of Baltimore. Walker would be a strong addition, especially with the news that the Orioles are moving the left field wall back in. But MLB's Jon Morosi recently connected Walker to the Mets, who may opt to let Pete Alonso walk in free agency.

It's possible that the Mets go all in on Juan Soto and let Alonso sign elsewhere, then shift to Walker as an option at first base. Walker has been a star, both offensively and defensively, for several years now. He'll be a bit cheaper seeing as he's entering his mid-30's and while we'd love to see him in Baltimore, it might be out of reach.