This low-cost World Series hero could fill Orioles' need for an ace

The Baltimore Orioles have come into this offseason with a major need for pitching. They traded for Corbin Burnes last offseason, but all signs point to the former Cy Young winner departing and signing a mega-deal in free agency. This would leave the Orioles without an ace, which is problematic in a very competitive AL East.

Baltimore needs to address this if they want to have a chance to dethrone the Yankees at the top of the division. Even with John Angelos having already sold the team to David Rubenstein, Burnes will likely be too expensive for the Orioles - the righty is expected to get over $200 million in free agency this winter.

Fortunately, there are some lower-cost options that could help them. Zachary D. Rymer of Bleacher Report listed Walker Buehler as somebody who could be a perfect fit for the Orioles in the likely event that Burnes leaves.

"The Orioles have actively fleshed out their offense, notably doing free-agent deals with sluggers Tyler O'Neill and Gary Sánchez. Yet they still need an ace to fill Corbin Burnes' shoes, and it just doesn't feel like it's going to be Burnes himself," Rymer wrote.

The impending departure of Corbin Burnes will leave a void in the Orioles' rotation

Jack Flaherty, Sean Manaea and Nick Pivetta are hypothetical options for Baltimore, but they'd be wiser to take a chance on Buehler. He should be more affordable and, as evidenced by his playoff performance, he still has ace upside.

Buehler obviously did not have a good 2024 season. He returned from Tommy John surgery only to land back on the injured list with a hip issue. When he was healthy, he went 1-6 with a 5.38 ERA, and he was limited to just 16 starts.

That is something the Orioles need to be cognizant of if they pursue the World Series hero. But he obviously found his groove in the playoffs. After a bad start in Game 3 of the NLDS against the Padres, he gave the Dodgers scoreless starts in the NLCS and World Series. He was even tapped to close out the clinching Game 5 and passed the test with flying colors.

His regular season struggles should lower his price tag quite a bit, but his postseason performance was good enough that the Orioles should very much consider taking a look at him as they try to find their ace for the 2025 season.

If he stays healthy, he could be that guy for the Orioles. He brings veteran leadership and big-game experience that will serve the team well if they decide to sign him.