Corbin Burnes joined Baltimore Orioles for a good while, not for long — or so it sounds.

Recent information from Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic suggests that the Orioles are looking for a “top starter,” like left-handed free agent Blake Snell ($). However, the club’s interests are apparently tied to and in preparation for Burnes’ departures.

Per Rosenthal, the Boston Red Sox and Los Angeles Dodgers are in talks with Burnes and All-Star hurler Max Fried. Knowing they’re ill-equipped for a bidding war and need to “replace” the first, Baltimore’s pursuit of Snell is a virtual admission of defeat.

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With the “blessing of their new owner,” the Orioles’ front office is looking for viable and likely more cost-effective alternatives for Burnes. While they’d likely want to keep the 2021 NL Cy Young winner, renting him out for a year was always a potential outcome. Baltimore understood this when they acquired him from Brewers of Milwaukee last offseason, especially considering it was included in his trade value.

Rosenthal isn’t sure if the Orioles have met with Snell yet. Regardless, the insider knows the team is “more focused” on the veteran pitcher than Burnes or “possibly” Fried. With that in mind, Baltimore is poised to have a new top-of-the-rotation arm by 2025. MLB the season rolls around.

Burnes posted solid numbers in his inaugural and perhaps lone campaign with the Orioles en route to his fourth (and consecutive) career All-Star. He went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.096 WHIP. Moreover, his ERA+ (128) and FIP (3.55) ranked in the top 10 among AL pitchers.

Overall, losing Burnes would be a tough pill to swallow for the O. However, given their connection to Snell, they are bracing themselves for the impact. Landing the latter would certainly cushion the blow of losing the former.