This former Cy Young winner would be perfect fit for Orioles in 2025

The Orioles have made some key additions this offseason. They signed Tyler O'Neill after a breakout year with the Red Sox and brought in three pitchers, Andrew Kittredge, Tomoyuki Sugano and Charlie Morton. However, they've also suffered some big losses. Corbin Burnes is already gone, and Anthony Santander is unlikely to re-sign.

Even after the additions, the biggest need for the Orioles is starting pitching. O'Neill can replace Santander if he stays healthy in 2025, but they need a leader for the pitching staff. Further complicating matters is that the Orioles have not been mentioned as a suitor for Roki Sasaki.

This means they'll have to look at other options, but one in particular might make sense. They could look to sign Max Scherzer.

Orioles could target Max Scherzer to beef up rotation

One issue with Scherzer is that he has been struggling with his health in recent years. He was limited to just 9 starts with the Rangers in 2024, though he was effective, posting a 3.95 ERA. If he can remain healthy, he has all the credentials the Orioles need to lead a rotation.

He's an eight-time All-Star, three-time Cy Young winner, and two-time World Series champion. He likely prefers to pitch for a contender, and the Orioles are certainly that. They've made the postseason back-to-back years and have a good chance of getting back to October in 2025.

Scherzer will turn 41 in July, so that is something the Orioles will need to be cognizant of as they search for pitchers, especially with his recent injury history. But he's a veteran presence that could help the young players in the clubhouse.

Due to his age, he likely won't be too expensive either. We know that the Orioles have been hesitant to spend on big free agents, evidenced by them being unable to re-sign Burnes. But Scherzer is just a one-year commitment at this point in his career.

While not an ace anymore, he's still a reliable arm when healthy, so adding him to the rotation would be most beneficial for the Orioles. And as previously mentioned, the Orioles are a contending team and fit much of the criteria that Scherzer is looking for.

The Orioles will certainly be in a dogfight all season long with the Yankees and Red Sox both being busy this offseason and the Blue Jays also looking to make some upgrades. We'll see if they have some more moves planned.