The Baltimore Orioles are missing an ace.
Two seasons have passed since Corbin Burnes finished fifth in the American League Cy Young Award voting in his one season with the AL East club.
Baltimore’s starting rotation could lose Trevor Rogers to free agency this offseason, and the Orioles will have to do their best to replace him if he signs elsewhere.
A former New York Yankees reliever who became a starting pitcher after joining the New York Mets could be a great option.
“Trevor Rogers has an uncertain future in Baltimore. Even if there are things to like about Shane Baz, Kyle Bradish, and Brandon Young, the O’s need to make at least one external addition to their rotation this offseason. [Clay] Holmes would be a good place to start,” Bleacher Report’s Tim Kelly wrote.
Holmes was traded from the New York Mets to the Chicago Cubs while on the injured list with a fractured right fibula.
He posted a 4.25 ERA in nine starts in Chicago and did not appear in the Wild Card Series.
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The two-time All-Star is one of the best ground-ball pitchers in the sport, inducing grounders at a 60.5% rate in 2026.
Kelly predicts Holmes will sign a two-year, $48 million contract with the Orioles that includes a $20 million club option for 2029.
“Holmes isn’t quite as accomplished as Seth Lugo was when the Kansas City Royals gave him a two-year, $46 million extension with a $17 million club option for a third season. But there are definitely some similarities, as both were long-time relievers who became effective starters,” Kelly added,
Signing Holmes would be a great addition for the Orioles, an organization that needs at least one starter this offseason.
