The Atlanta Braves and Baltimore Orioles appear to be targeting the same affordable option as a potential replacement for All-Star pitchers Corbin Burnes and Max Fried.
The upcoming weeks are set to be pivotal for both teams, who made the playoffs in 2024 but were quickly eliminated in the Wild Card Round, bringing promising seasons to a swift and disappointing conclusion.
While key players, including Spencer Strider and Ronald Acuña Jr., will return from injuries in 2025, both teams also face the prospect of losing several key free agents, including Burnes and Fried—two of the most sought-after pitchers this offseason. Both are expected to see significant pay increases after stellar All-Star seasons, and with teams like the New York Mets, Yankees, and Boston Red Sox in the mix, there’s a strong chance they’ll be playing elsewhere in 2025.
This creates a need for backup plans, and it seems the Braves and Orioles have both set their sights on veteran pitcher Nathan Eovaldi as a potential solution.
A 13-year MLB veteran, Eovaldi has played for six different teams and is expected to join a seventh this winter. While he’s had a journeyman career, he’s thrived in recent seasons. In 2024, he posted a 12-8 record, a 3.80 ERA, and 166 strikeouts over 177.2 innings pitched.
Eovaldi has earned 11 or more wins in three of the past four seasons and was named an All-Star twice. His pivotal role in the Texas Rangers’ 2023 World Series victory and his performance as the team’s ace in the wake of injuries to Max Scherzer and Jacob deGrom solidified his status as a top-tier pitcher.
Though not on the same level as Burnes or Fried, Eovaldi remains a highly effective arm and would be a far more affordable option in free agency. He is projected to sign a two-year, $55 million contract this offseason.
