We’ll likely never know just how interrelated that the Corbin Burnes deal and the new ownership being finalized really was. Sources on both sides tell me that there had been discussions going back to the GM meetings and that as the season drew closer, there was more certainty from both sides that getting the deal done ahead of the season was the smart play.
For the Orioles, this is the kind of big move people had been waiting on, potentially pushing the team from really good but a bit ahead of schedule to potential dominant force. Burnes gives them the ace they’d lacked, making the rest of the rotation a little better in theory.
However, aces really don’t matter. They do, especially in the playoffs, but it’s not the matchups. I’m not sure how many times a year a 1 faces a 1, but it’s not as often as you’d think. Nor is the 1 always the best pitcher at all points in the year. Sometimes that rookie 4 becomes the 1 overnight. In the modern game, the idea is to have the best possible pitcher on the mound as much as possible. Burnes is likely the best pitcher on the team, at least with the ability to start.
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