The Baltimore Orioles are heading into an important offseason, in which they will be looking to retain some key players and keep building upon what the franchise has been doing in recent years.

It was another strong regular season for the Orioles in 2024, as they won over 90 games and were able to reach the playoffs for the second straight year.

However, it was another quick exit for Baltimore, as they were swept by the Kansas City Royals.

Despite the success they had in the regular season, the Orioles have yet to be able to find their groove in the playoffs.

This past winter, they made a headlining move to acquire Corbin Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers with the hopes of him being the missing piece to get them over the hump.

While Burnes was very good for Baltimore, especially in his October start, he wasn’t enough for them to get to the next round.

When the Orioles made the deal to acquire the talented right-hander, they knew he would be hitting free agency this winter.

After another strong season, Burnes is arguably the best starting pitcher on the market and will have a long list of suitors.

While Baltimore could in the mix to bring him back, they should also be worried about the New York Mets as their main competition.

2024 was an excellent year for the Mets, as despite entering the season with rebuilding mindset led by a new front office, New York made it to the National League Championship Series.

Despite the success, the Mets are going to look like a very different team next season as they look to be aggressive and build a roster full of star players.