Baltimore Orioles' Corbin Burnes Predicted To Sign Massive Deal With Mets

The Baltimore Orioles can flip the script or remain the same franchise they've been for a long time this winter. They have a core good enough to win a World Series and if the ownership wants to accomplish that, Corbin Burnes will be back in the clubhouse next spring.

Burnes will be expensive. Depending on which team wins the Juan Soto sweepstakes, there's a chance his price might even go up in the coming days to weeks.

That doesn't excuse the Orioles from not getting a deal done. Sure, one could argue that handing him $300-plus million wouldn't make sense, but a deal around $250 million would be more than fair.

The right-hander is an ace, and those are tough to find in Major League Baseball.

Despite the need for Baltimore to bring its top starter back, Joel Reuter of Bleacher Report doesn't believe that will happen.

Reuter predicted Burnes would land a seven-year, $255.5 million deal with the New York Mets.

"A reunion with the Orioles no longer looks like the most likely outcome for his free agency, but he could end up being the immediate fallback plan for the Boston Red Sox or New York Mets if they miss out on Juan Soto," Reuter wrote.

He later narrowed it down to the Mets and noted that six months ago he predicted that the Orioles would hang onto Burnes via an extension.

Over the past 12 months, the Mets have been viewed as a landing spot for Burnes. When the Orioles traded for him, many questioned whether they'd eventually pay him.

Given their history, most suspected the ownership wouldn't give him a big deal and linked him to New York.

For the past year and a half, the Mets have been expected to spend heavily this winter. Steve Cohen indicated multiple times that he planned to build a World Series contender, and he's looking to do just that whether they land Soto or not.

Burnes would be an excellent addition to a New York rotation that has decent arms but not a true ace. The Mets have already made marginal upgrades to their staff, and adding Burnes, along with other moves, would give them an above-average rotation.

It's unfortunate that Baltimore has to deal with the big spenders for Burnes. While that shows the type of pitcher he is, it doesn't help a small-market team like the Orioles.

Whether he returns to Baltimore remains to be seen, but whatever ball club lands him will be a better team in 2025.

He's been a consistent sub-3.00-ERA arm and will be paid like one this winter.