The Orioles should target this former Guardians starter in free agency

The Orioles seem to be pointed towards the postseason for the second straight year. The move to acquire Corbin Burnes has proven fruitful as the team now finally has an ace that they can lean on in the postseason. This is what cost them last October when they were swept in the ALDS by the Rangers. Without an ace, the Orioles really didn't stand much of a chance.

However, regardless of how the postseason goes, the Orioles will have some questions to answer in the offseason. They may need some starting pitching help, and this is even if they're able to keep Corbin Burnes. Recall that Tyler Wells and Kyle Bradish are recovering from Tommy John surgery.

But if they are looking for some rotation help, why not target Shane Bieber?

On the note of Bradish and Wells recovering from Tommy John surgery, it's important to note that Bieber himself had the surgery back in April. As such, he won't be ready to pitch on Opening Day in 2025. Perhaps he'll be ready sometime around the All-Star break.

Still, Bieber is a true ace when he's healthy, and that could really benefit the Orioles, regardless of if they're able to keep Burnes or not. Burnes and Bieber at the top of the rotation would certainly be ideal.

Of course, we know the Orioles are going to try and re-sign Burnes, and that should be their top priority. So, if that's the case, why target Bieber? Well, Bieber's injury is going to hurt his stock and drive his price down. He also likely won't be a candidate for a long-term deal.

It's reasonable to think he'll get a two-year deal at a lesser rate. Jim Bowden of The Athletic noted last month that this is a possibility. In this case, he could be right within the Orioles price range, even if they keep Burnes.

It's also worth noting that new owner David Rubenstein may approach the offseason differently than John Angelos did. He was willing to pull off the Burnes deal after all, so he might have another trick up his sleeve this winter.

Regardless of Bieber's injury, signing him would signal that the Orioles have every intention to win in 2025 and beyond. They likely will need rotation help anyway, so it would make sense to see if they can potentially buy low on the former Cy Young winner and find a spot for him.