The Baltimore Orioles enter the offseason in free agency in search of their biggest star, who will be one of the most sought-after players on the market this winter.

Acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers in a trade from Baltimore last offseason, National League Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes is the prize of the pitching market as he explores free agency for the first time after another great season.

While the new owners in Baltimore, led by David Rubenstein, have been open about trying to increase payroll, that will be much easier said than done. The Orioles probably already knew this when they made the trade last year. Now the bill is due.

If Burnes does indeed leave Baltimore — which seems more likely than not — there are obviously certain teams that would hurt more than others. One that’s at the top of the list of doomsday scenarios in Burnes’ free agency is the Boston Red Sox, and it’s starting to sound like the noise linking Burnes and Boston is very real.

“The Red Sox are also dealing with Blake Snell, Max Fried and Corbin Burnes,” Jon Heyman of the New York Post said last week.

For a Red Sox team that has struggled for years to find a true alpha at the top of its rotation, making a splash in the pitching market feels more like a when than an if.

Since Burnes just turned 30 and has no significant injury history, he could prove to be the perfect candidate to finally bring an ace back to Fenway Park.

Much to the chagrin of Orioles fans, Burnes actually believes he is an ideal fit for the Red Sox as they look to get back to contending for titles and spending like the big market team they are.

However, simply put, this would be an absolute nightmare for Baltimore if it actually came to fruition. Not only would they lose their ace, but they would also have to face him almost every time they face off in the AL East. It’s hard to avoid a pitcher when teams play each other 14 times a year.

If there’s one reason to open the war chest, besides simply retaining one of the best pitchers in baseball, it’s to keep him out of Boston.