Corbin Burnes Confirms New Team

By Lachlan Wellington January 08, 2025 07:42

Photo by Duane Burleson/Getty Images

Corbin Burnes, arguably the best starting pitcher on the free agency market this offseason, signs with the Arizona Diamondbacks on a six-year, $210 million deal, according to Fansided.

The right-handed starting ace spent his first six seasons in the majors with the Milwaukee Brewers, who drafted Burnes in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft. Burnes debuted for Milwaukee in 2018.

Burnes joined the Baltimore Orioles on February 1, 2024 after the O’s traded infielder Joey Ortiz (MLB Pipeline’s No.63 overall prospect), left-hander DL Hall and a 2024 Competitive Round Balance A Draft pick to the Crew.

In his career, Burnes has received multiple accolades and is still currently one of the best pitchers in the game. He has four All-Star appearances, winning the National League (NL) Cy Young award in 2021 after leading the NL in earned run average (ERA) (he was on the Cy Young ballot four other times) and topped the NL for strikeouts in 2022.

Burnes stats to date features a career ERA of 3.19 in 199 games played with an overall record of 60-36, a walks and hits per innings pitched (WHIP) of 1.06 alongside two saves.

In 2024 for Baltimore, Burnes held an ERA of 2.92 (7th in the league), held an overall record of 15-9, across 32 starts, pitching 194.1 innings with 181 strikeouts, a 1.10 WHIP and a batting average against (BAA) of .226.

Burnes did give up 165 hits and 22 home runs, however this was yet another great season from the ace and he will now compete with fellow ace-caliber righty, teammate, Zac Gallen for the D-backs number one starter role. The Diamondbacks 2025 rotation has a lot of depth, potentially also including right-hander Merrill Kelly, lefty Eduardo Rodriguez, RHP Brandon Pfaadt, RHP Ryan Nelson and LHP Jordan Montgommery. ESPN ranks Arizona’s rotation as the sixth-best in the league heading into 2025, this includes Burnes.

The contract also includes a full no-trade clause for the first two years and a limited no-trade clause for the four years following, according to MLB insider, Robert Murray. Burnes has $210 million guaranteed, $60 million of which is deferred and this will be distributed beginning in 2031.

The breakdown of the contract means the 30-year-old will receive $20 million in both 2025 and 2026, then $25 million a year starting in 2027 for the final four years of the contract. Burnes also has an opt-out option after the second season, according to Fansided.

Over the last five years since 2020, Burnes has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the game. The California native ranks first for ERA across the past five seasons with 2.88, has pitched the third most innings (816.2) and has the second most strikeouts (946) among pitchers with at least 700 innings.

The Diamondbacks will hope Burnes can help them back to the playoffs after missing out in 2024 in heartbreaking fashion- losing on a head-to-head tiebreaker to the New York Mets and Atlanta Braves respectively after all three teams finished with 89-73 overall. Arizona fans will be optimistic though after seeing their team make the 2023 World Series- ultimately going down 4-1 to the Texas Rangers.

In response to losing out on Burnes, the Orioles have since signed 41-year-old right-handed veteran Charlie Morton to a one-year, $15 million contract. Morton is a 17-year MLB veteran of the league who will bring experience to the O’s rotation.

Despite the Morton signing, Baltimore could well return to the trade market for another starting pitcher to fill the major void left by Corbin Burnes. One name being mentioned is an Orioles reunion for Jack Flaherty. The right-handed starter spent time with Baltimore in 2023, underperforming, significantly decreasing his reputation and market value. Flaherty’s 2024 performances with the Detroit Tigers and Los Angeles Dodgers boosted his stock back up though.

The Orioles may also trade for another starter with a franchise such as the Seattle Mariners, who are in need of batting depth but have a wealth of pitching riches including Luis Castillo, George Kirby, Logan Gilbert, Bryce Miller and Bryan Woo to name a few. The Mariners could be willing to part ways with one or more in a trade though if the deal included some hitters that would improve their offence.