The Baltimore Orioles have made some upgrades to their pitching staff via free agency, but not enough to convince anyone that this team is a real contender with the rotation as currently constructed.
Additions like Charlie Morton and Tomoyuki Sugano are nice, but neither one is an ace and neither one will be able to carry this Orioles team to where they want to be come October.
It’s not easy to replace someone like Corbin Burnes, no one is questioning that. But what Baltimore has done so far flat out is not enough, which is probably the main reason why they have been linked to just about every available starter both on the open market and trade block.
With the free agent options dwindling, it would take a blockbuster to get the same level of production they got from Burnes, but it’s possible one could be brewing.
Even before their former ace signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks, the Orioles were reported to have serious interest in San Diego Padres star Dylan Cease, and for good reason.
Cease is one of the best pitchers in the sport, and similar to Burnes, is able to consistently stay on the field and give them a full slate of quality starts.
In the latest example of him being linked to Baltimore, Rachael Millanta of Just Baseball has named the Orioles as one of her “perfect fits” to acquire the right-handed star.
