Baltimore Orioles Could Aggressively Trade for Star Pitcher

The Baltimore Orioles are in a really good spot moving forward.

Their young players have shown they can play at a high-level in the Majors and there are other potential superstars in their minor league pipeline.

That creates a multitude of options for general manager Mike Elias heading into this offseason where they'll look to build upon their success in 2023.

Because of their young talent, there isn't a whole lot that the Orioles need to do in free agency.

One thing has been a common theme though, Baltimore will be looking to add another starting pitcher to their rotation.

In the past, they've added older, veteran types to their roster which has resulted in mixed results.

With the Orioles flailing in the playoffs, Elias could become aggressive in the trade market to acquire the ace that he's looking for.

Mark Polishuk hosted an Offseason Outlook where he answered questions from fans regarding what Baltimore could do before the 2024 season.

He thinks that there's a real possibility that the Orioles trade for Milwaukee Brewers' star pitcher Corbin Burnes.

"Adding someone like a Corbin Burnes obviously makes this rotation a lot better. Even if the O's aren't willing to sign a free agent pitcher to a big long-term deal, going to get a one-year splurge like Burnes or [Shane] Bieber makes a lot of sense," he writes.

When asked what it would take to acquire the star, Polishuk doesn't believe it would take too much.

"If the O's were willing to part with [Coby] Mayo for one year of Burnes, really, not much else? Mayo and a lower-level prospects or two?" he wrote.

Coby Mayo is the No. 4 ranked prospect in Baltimore's farm system according to MLB Pipeline.

In three seasons at the minor league level, the infielder has a career slash line of .279/.384/.523 with 300 hits, 57 home runs and 209 RBI.

Considering how stacked the Orioles' pipeline is, dealing Mayo for Burnes seems like an easy choice if they want to compete for a championship.

Prior to 2023, the right hander recorded three straight seasons with an ERA below 3.00, including a 2.43 in 2021 when he won the NL Cy Young.

Adding a pitcher like Burnes to this rotation would take them to the next level and is something that the front office should seriously consider.