Ranking the top-5 remaining free agent starting pitchers for the Orioles to target

The Baltimore Orioles will be looking for a late Christmas gift in the form of a top end starter in the next few weeks. There are plenty of valuable guys remaining in free agency as the new year inches closer - between playoff proven veteran options and players in their prime looking to compete for a championship, there are plenty of quality options for Mike Elias and the Orioles front office to make their pitch to.

1. Corbin Burnes

The former Orioles starter rejected his qualifying offer from the club but that does not mean that a reunion is out of the question. Corbin Burnes is looking to receive a massive payday this offseason and deservedly so. Burnes has been one of baseball's best since his breakout campaign in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers.

Burnes has seen limited playoff baseball in his career so far, both as a member of the Orioles and the Brewers. He has been successful in those starts, including an outing in the 2024 Postseason where he went eight innings while only surrendering one run in his Wild Card matchup against the Kansas City Royals.

Spotrac is projecting Burnes' market value at $30.6 Million AAV this offseason. The Orioles will be trying to lock down their ace long-term as their championship window continues.

2. Jack Flaherty

Jack Flaherty is another former Oriole who should be on wish lists, assuming the aforementioned Burnes leaves Baltimore this offseason. Flaherty is coming off his best season since he was a member of the St. Louis Cardinals, posting a 3.17 ERA across 28 starts over the course of the 2024 season.

Flaherty was traded from St. Louis to Baltimore in 2023 and to say that his tenure left a poor taste in the mouths of the Orioles might be an understatement. With the Orioles in 2023, Flaherty posted a 6.75 ERA in 9 games, including 7 starts.

Baltimore let him walk in free agency last season, and he signed with Detroit and bounced back from his poor performances and injury-riddled seasons to being traded at the deadline to the eventual World Series Champion, Los Angeles Dodgers.

Tim Smart here on Birds Watcher wrote, "Many O's fans would find a Flaherty reunion uninspiring, and it's tough to blame them." For the right price, a reunion with Flaherty could make sense if Burnes leaves town.

3. Nick Pivetta

Outside of the first two on this list, and the players that have already chosen where they will suit up in 2025, the options begin to shift towards value. Pivetta has been a solid pitcher for the Boston Red Sox since joining them in 2020.

Pivetta ranked in the 88th percentile in K% in 2024, striking out 28.1% of batters faced during the season. Pivetta's value is primarily with swing-and-miss stuff. The Orioles as a team struck out less than nine batters a game last season. Pivetta would be a stable addition, as he has been effective in getting players to strike out despite having a league average whiff rate.

Pivetta's biggest plus is the expected cost. The 31 year old will likely not be looking for the long term deals that Burnes and Flaherty are wanting this offseason. This would open the door for the Orioles to get ahead on discussion with Grayson Rodriguez.

4. Justin Verlander

Despite his age, Justin Verlander still can bring a staff up to their potential. While the 41-year-old is coming off of a frustrating season where he was bitten by the injury bug a couple of times, he believes that he still has some left in the tank.

Verlander is one of the greatest pitchers of all time. He has plenty of postseason success and his experience would be a welcome addition to the Orioles rotation. The postseason experience alone would pay off as the Orioles look to capitalize this season and continue to push towards a World Series championship.

While his performance was down from his pedigree, the hurler's price point would likely be a one-year deal and would not hinder the team long-term if there was a young starter available at the deadline next season.

5. José Quintana

Likely the most unexpected starter on this list is José Quintana. Quintana has been a stable value option for many teams over the past couple of seasons. The 35-year-old has found a second wind in his career after a forgetful 2021 season where his ERA skyrocketed.

Quintana has spent the last two seasons as a member of the New York Mets and with the signing of Clay Holmes and Frankie Montas, Quintana will likely be looking for a new home in 2025. Quintana had a 3.75 ERA in 2024 and was one of the most stable pieces of the Mets staff. Quintana would also give the starting rotation some variety as the Orioles only have two left-handed starting options under contract heading into 2025.

Likely looking for a short-term deal, Quintana would need to be paired with another name from this list. The Orioles will likely have to make a last-minute pitch to the lefty in hopes of swaying him their way.