Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press
PHOENIX — Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks have agreed to a $210 million, six-year contract, a person familiar with the negotiations told The Associated Press late Friday night.
The person spoke to the AP on condition of anonymity because the deal was pending a successful physical.
The 30-year-old Burnes was perhaps the top free agent pitcher on the market after going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA for Baltimore last season. The Orioles acquired the right-hander in a February trade after he spent his first six major league seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers.
___
AP Baseball Writer Ronald Blum in New York contributed to this report.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly reached a major agreement with pitcher Corbin Burnes, signing him to a lucrative $210 million, 6-year deal. This news comes from a source close to the situation, according to the Associated Press.
Burnes, who had a standout season in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers, is expected to be a key addition to the Diamondbacks’ pitching rotation. The 27-year-old right-hander posted impressive numbers last season, including a 2.43 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 167 innings pitched.
This massive contract solidifies Burnes as one of the highest-paid pitchers in the league and demonstrates the Diamondbacks’ commitment to building a strong team for the upcoming season. Fans can look forward to seeing Burnes take the mound in Arizona’s colors and hopefully lead the team to success in the years to come.
ESPN MLB insider Author of “The Arm: Inside the Billion-Dollar Mystery of the Most Valuable Commodity in Sports”
Right-hander Corbin Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks are in agreement on a six-year, $210 million contract, sources confirmed to ESPN.
After a quiet winter, Arizona gets the best pitcher on the market, while Burnes gets to play for a dangerous NL West team.
Burnes, 30, is everything teams want in a starting pitcher. His production over the last five years is unimpeachable. He goes deep into games and piles up innings. In his limited postseason action, he has been excellent.
He rejected a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer by the Baltimore Orioles on Nov. 19.
Since 2020, when Burnes joined the Milwaukee Brewers‘ rotation for good, he ranks third in MLB in innings pitched (816.2), second in ERA among those with at least 500 innings (2.88), second in strikeouts (946), sixth in home runs per nine innings (0.8) and among the top five in FanGraphs WAR (second with 21.7) and Baseball-Reference WAR (fourth with 18.6).
Baltimore traded for Burnes last offseason, and he spearheaded the Orioles’ rotation, posting a 2.92 ERA over 194.1 innings — his third consecutive season with 190-plus. Burnes’ strikeout rate dipped to 8.4 per nine, and though he stumbled through a troublesome August, Burnes posted a 1.20 ERA in five September starts and then limited the Kansas City Royals to one run in an eight-inning playoff start.
Stuff+ models adore Burnes, too, calling his cutter the best among all starters and all five of his pitches above average. Pitchers with similar resumes to Burnes’ hit the jackpot in free agency, and Burnes was the heavy favorite to receive the second-highest guarantee in the class behind slugger Juan Soto.
The New York Post was first to report Burnes’ agreement with the Diamondbacks.
The Arizona Diamondbacks have locked in their ace pitcher for the long haul, as they have reached a massive six-year, $210 million deal with right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes.
Burnes, who had a breakout season in 2021, solidified himself as one of the top pitchers in the league with a 2.43 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 167 innings. The 27-year-old hurler was a key contributor to the D-backs’ success last season, helping them reach the playoffs for the first time in five years.
The new contract solidifies Burnes as the face of the D-backs’ pitching staff for years to come, and ensures that the team will have a dominant presence on the mound for the foreseeable future.
Fans are ecstatic about the news, as Burnes has quickly become a fan-favorite in Arizona with his electric stuff and competitive fire. With Burnes locked in, the D-backs are poised to be a force in the NL West for years to come.
Corbin Burnes was great for the Brewers, then great for the Orioles. (Photo by Greg Fiume/Getty Images)
Corbin Burnes is headed to the Arizona Diamondbacks, and it wasn’t cheap.
The 2021 Cy Young Award winner agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks early Saturday morning. Jon Heyman of the New York Post first reported the agreement, which has an opt-out for Burnes after two seasons.
The contract is the largest in Diamondbacks history. Burnes, who lives in Scottsdale, Arizona, will now pitch for the local team after reportedly turning down offers from the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays.
The deal ends Burnes’ tenure with the Baltimore Orioles after one season. The AL East contenders went for a splashy trade last winter by acquiring the right-hander from the Milwaukee Brewers, but it ended up being a one-year rental.
It’s not like Burnes didn’t deliver for Baltimore. From his Opening Day start (6 innings, 1 hit, 1 run, 11 strikeouts) to his sole postseason start (8 innings, 5 hits, 1 run, 3 strikeouts), Burnes was the bona fide ace the Orioles were looking for when they traded for him, but his free-agent market was likely out of Baltimore’s price range.
Because Burnes turned down a qualifying offer from Baltimore, the Orioles will receive draft pick compensation from his new team.
Corbin Burnes has been one of MLB’s best pitchers for 5 years, but could he be declining?
Looking over the past half-decade, there is no question that Burnes has been one of MLB’s top aces.
Since the 2020 season, Burnes ranks third in MLB in innings pitched with 816 2/3, fourth in ERA at 2.88, sixth in FIP at 3.01, second in strikeouts with 946 and fourth in bWAR with 18.6. There is nothing you could look for in a pitcher that Burnes isn’t great at.
It remains an impressive success story for a player who was legitimately one of the worst pitchers in MLB in 2019. In 49 innings pitched, Burnes posted a galling 8.82 ERA. That remains the worst ERA by any pitcher in Brewers history with at least 40 innings pitched. Only 23 pitchers in MLB historyhave posted a worse mark in that many innings.
Then Burnes turned his career around by introducing a cutter that is now his signature pitch. That said, he actually cut down his cutter usage from 55.4% to 45% this season while still having a great season.
However, there are some reasons for concern that Burnes could be on the decline, starting with the fact that he’s already north of 30 years old. After posting whiff rates above 35% from 2019 to 2022, he fell below 29% in 2023 and 2024. This past season, batters also both swung and made contact with pitches in the zone from Burnes at the highest rate since his miserable 2019 season.
Burnes’ velocity has stayed steady so far in his career, but in 2024, he struck out batters at a mediocre rate by MLB standards and at an abysmal rate by his own standards. Quite a few ERA predictors haven’t been fans of his peripherals over the past two seasons as well.
Still, what matters are results, and Burnes has continued to deliver. Even a pitcher performing at 90% of Burnes’ prime is one of the most valuable pitchers in the game, and there are pitchers older than Burnes who are still getting paid tens of millions per year.
Giving Burnes this much money is fine, and he would be a great addition for any team. It’s just important to be aware of what trends he needs to buck to stay among MLB’s elite.
In a blockbuster deal, the Arizona Diamondbacks have reportedly agreed to a massive $210 million contract with star pitcher Corbin Burnes. The agreement, which is said to be for 7 years, solidifies the Diamondbacks’ rotation and makes Burnes one of the highest-paid players in baseball.
Burnes, who is coming off a Cy Young-winning season with the Milwaukee Brewers, was highly sought after by multiple teams in free agency. However, the Diamondbacks were able to secure his services with their lucrative offer.
The 27-year-old right-hander has established himself as one of the most dominant pitchers in the game, boasting a career 2.89 ERA and a staggering 13.5 K/9 rate. His addition to the Diamondbacks’ rotation is expected to elevate the team to championship contention.
Fans of the Diamondbacks are thrilled with the news, as Burnes brings a much-needed boost to their pitching staff. With Burnes now locked up long-term, the Diamondbacks look poised to make a serious run at the World Series in the coming years. Stay tuned for more updates as the deal becomes official.
But the four-time All-Star will now join a Diamondbacks team that’s one year removed from winning the NL pennant.
Last year with the Orioles, the righty pitched a 2.92 ERA over 194¹/₃ innings.
The 30-year-old has a 3.19 ERA and 1.06 WHIP across seven seasons.
This is a developing story
In a shocking turn of events, starting pitcher Corbin Burnes has agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. The deal, which includes a full no-trade clause, marks one of the largest contracts in MLB history for a pitcher.
Burnes, who was coming off a dominant season with the Milwaukee Brewers, where he won the NL Cy Young award, was one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason. Many teams were vying for his services, but ultimately it was the Diamondbacks who were able to secure his signature.
The 27-year-old right-hander is expected to anchor the Diamondbacks’ rotation for years to come, providing a much-needed boost to their pitching staff. With Burnes now locked up long-term, Arizona fans can look forward to seeing one of the best pitchers in the game take the mound every fifth day.
The deal is pending a physical and is expected to be officially announced in the coming days. Stay tuned for more updates on this blockbuster signing.
Corbin Burnesis the remaining headliner of the free agent class. The top starting pitcher is still unsigned despite the generally robust and quick-moving rotation market.
Most of the recent chatter regarding Burnes has centered on some combination of the Blue Jays, Giants, Red Sox and Orioles (albeit to a lesser extent in Baltimore’s case). Mark Feinsand of MLB.com writes that San Francisco has had a standing offer on the table, though he notes that the Giants could elect to move on to other targets if there continues to be no resolution on Burnes’ part.
Terms of San Francisco’s proposal are not clear. However, Feinsand reports that the former Cy Young winner is looking for a deal that would at least match the $245MM guarantee which Stephen Strasburg received from the Nationals over the 2019-20 offseason. (The net present value of Strasburg’s contract actually checked in around $229MM after accounting for deferrals.) The pre-deferral guarantee is the third-largest pitching investment in MLB history, trailing Yoshinobu Yamamoto’s $325MM contract with the Dodgers and the $324MM Gerrit Cole deal with the Yankees.
It’s unsurprising that Burnes and agent Scott Boras are shooting for Strasburg money in this market. MLBTR predicted Burnes to land seven years and $200MM in early November. Essentially every starter who has signed so far has equalled or beaten those (and most other) predictions. Max Fried was the biggest beneficiary. He landed an eight-year, $218MM contract at the Winter Meetings. That beat MLBTR’s prediction by two years and $62MM. Fried landed an extra season and $43MM than Aaron Nola received last winter.
Virtually every prognostication had Burnes above Fried. That makes something in the $220MM range feel like the former’s floor. Creating a notable separation would push Burnes close to or beyond Strasburg money. Burnes is nine months younger than Fried. He hasn’t had any injuries of note. That differentiates him from Fried, who missed three months in 2023 because of a muscular flexor strain in his forearm. Burnes has also reached bigger heights, winning the National League ERA title and Cy Young in 2022.
The one question has been a recent dip in swing-and-miss. Burnes fanned upwards of 35% of batters faced between 2020-21. That dropped to roughly 30% in 2022. It has continued to trend down over the past two seasons, falling to a slightly above-average 23.1% rate this year. Even the “diminished” strikeout rate essentially matched Fried’s 23.2% rate, though, so Burnes isn’t at a disadvantage in that regard.
That’ll be weighed against the question of which teams still have the willingness to offer a deal well north of $200MM. The Yankees would’ve been an obvious Burnes suitor if they hadn’t landed Fried. They’re probably out of the mix now. The Mets seem unlikely to make a massive commitment to a starting pitcher. The Sox have already acquired Garrett Crochet and agreed to terms with Walker Buehler on a one-year deal, adding significant upside to their rotation. They might have the payroll room to remain involved on Burnes, but they’re no longer facing the same sense of urgency to add an impact arm.
San Francisco might offer the best blend of spending capacity and need for an ace. Logan Webb is a legitimate #1, but the Giants haven’t replaced the production they lost when Blake Snell walked. Beyond Webb, San Francisco’s rotation consists of upside plays with questions about their durability and/or performance track records (i.e. Robbie Ray, Jordan Hicks, Kyle Harrison, Hayden Birdsong).
The Giants have made two nine-figure investments in recent months. They extended Matt Chapman for $151MM in September before adding Willy Adames on a seven-year, $182MM free agent deal. RosterResource calculates their luxury tax number at approximately $208MM, which puts them around $33MM shy of the base threshold. Their actual salary commitments sit around $167MM. That puts them almost $40MM below last year’s spending level. It’s not clear if ownership is willing to again push beyond $200MM in Opening Day payroll, but they could theoretically add Adames and Burnes without a significant spike in relative spending.
The Giants relinquished their second- and fifth-highest draft picks and $1MM from their ’26 international amateur bonus pool to sign Adames. They’d surrender their third- and sixth-highest selections and another $500K from the international pool if they were to land Burnes, who declined a qualifying offer from Baltimore.
According to sources close to the situation, Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes is reportedly seeking a contract extension worth over $245 million.
Burnes, who had a breakout season in 2021, is coming off a Cy Young award-winning campaign in which he posted a 2.43 ERA and struck out 234 batters in just 167 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander is considered one of the top pitchers in the league and is looking to cash in on his success.
While the Brewers are reportedly interested in locking up Burnes long-term, it remains to be seen if they are willing to meet his lofty contract demands. Burnes is currently under team control through the 2023 season, so the Brewers have some time to negotiate a deal before he hits free agency.
It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds, as Burnes’ reported asking price would make him one of the highest-paid pitchers in the league. Stay tuned for updates on this developing story.
Tags:
Corbin Burnes, MLB, contract negotiation, free agent, Milwaukee Brewers, top pitcher, record-breaking deal, MLB news, sports headlines, baseball rumors, player salary demands, contract talks, MLB offseason, sports contracts, player negotiations
The Giants reportedly have an offer on the table for Corbin Burnes, but they might not wait much longer.
The free-agent pitcher is one of the top options still available on the market, but the right-hander is looking for a bigger payday, MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand reported, citing sources, which could change how things shake out.
“San Francisco has had an offer on the table, but sources have indicated that the Giants may be getting impatient, prompting them to consider other ways to improve the club via free agency,” Feinsand wrote. “Even after extending Matt Chapman and signing Adames, the Giants could look to add another bat, with Alonso, Anthony Santander, Jurickson Profar and Teoscar Hernández among the potential options.
“According to sources, Burnes is seeking a deal worth at least $245 million, which would match the seven-year, $245 million deal Stephen Strasburg signed in December 2019 as the third-highest guaranteed contract in history for a starting pitcher.”
While the Giants have opened the checkbook this offseason, signing Willy Adames to the richest contract in club history, it’s unclear if first-year president of baseball operations Buster Posey and Co. will do it again for Burnes.
The hard-throwing righty had another strong season with the Baltimore Orioles, posting a 15-9 record with a 2.92 ERA, 181 strikeouts and 194.1 innings pitched to make his fourth consecutive All-Star team.
San Francisco has been looking for another top-notch starter to pair with Logan Webb, and Burnes certainly would fit the bill. Still, it’s hard to imagine the team would commit such a large salary to the 30-year-old Burnes.
For now, the offer remains on the table, but the Giants’ patience is running out.
According to sources close to the situation, the San Francisco Giants have put an offer on the table for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes. However, it appears that the Giants are growing impatient with the lack of progress in negotiations and are considering moving on to other potential trade targets.
Burnes, who had a stellar 2021 season with a 2.43 ERA and 234 strikeouts in 167 innings pitched, is reportedly seeking a significant contract extension that the Giants may not be willing to meet. With other teams also expressing interest in Burnes, the Giants may decide to pivot their focus to other available pitchers who are more aligned with their budget and roster needs.
While the Giants have made Burnes a priority this offseason, they understand the importance of not overpaying for one player and jeopardizing their overall team-building efforts. It remains to be seen whether the Giants will ultimately come to terms with Burnes or pursue alternative options in the pitching market.
Stay tuned for further updates as the Giants continue to navigate their offseason plans.
The 2024-25 Major League Baseball offseason carries on, and notable free-agent names continue to come off the board. That said, a number of compelling free agents and trade targets remain available, and that means an ongoing steady supply of hot-stove rumors. Speaking of which, Friday’s round of rumors can be found just below.
Burnes seeking $245 million
Ace Corbin Burnes is the top talent left on the free-agent market, but his market has been slow to develop, especially in light of how quickly some many other starting pitchers have come off the board. Speaking of which, MLB.com reports this:
“According to sources, Burnes is seeking a deal worth at least $245 million, which would match the seven-year, $245 million deal Stephen Strasburg signed in December 2019 as the third-highest guaranteed contract in history for a starting pitcher.”
The San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays have been particularly aggressive in pursuing Burnes, but at this point it seems neither team has made an offer that Burnes and his agent Scott Boras find to be sufficiently compelling.
Earlier in the offseason, CBS Sports ranked Burnes as the No. 2 free agent in the 2024-25 class. The former Cy Young winner is coming off yet another ace-quality season in 2024, this one as a member of the Orioles.
The New York Mets aren’t desperate for offensive help, what with Juan Soto newly in the fold. However, there’s still a possibility that they reunite with beloved slugger Pete Alonso to fill the hole at first base. As a first baseman who’s already shown some signs of decline, Alonso is being presented with a chilly free-agent market thus far, which raises the possibility that the Mets lifer could return to Queens, albeit largely on the club’s terms. On that point, the New York Post reports “there is said to be a sizable gap in talks at the moment.”
Alonso, 29, has been a rich power source for years. Over his six seasons with the Mets, Alonso amassed 226 home runs – a tally that includes his 53-homer campaign as a rookie. While Alonso still hits the ball hard and makes quality contact, he’s seen his production decline from peak over the last two seasons, and his strikeout rate has crept up. Throw in his sub-par fielding, and it’s fair to wonder how well he’ll age. That risk is probably already being baked into his market this offseason.
MLB Rumors: Corbin Burnes Seeking Big Number in Free Agency, Mets and Pete Alonso Far Apart
As the MLB offseason heats up, rumors are swirling about some high-profile players and teams. One of the biggest names on the free agent market is Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes. According to sources, Burnes is seeking a big payday in free agency, with some reports suggesting he could command a contract worth over $100 million.
Burnes, who won the NL Cy Young award in 2021, is coming off a stellar season in which he posted a 2.43 ERA and struck out 234 batters in 167 innings. The 27-year-old right-hander is expected to be one of the most sought-after pitchers in free agency, with several teams reportedly interested in signing him.
On the other side of the coin, there are rumors that the New York Mets and first baseman Pete Alonso are far apart in contract negotiations. Alonso, who won the NL Rookie of the Year award in 2019, has been a key part of the Mets lineup since making his debut. However, it appears that the two sides are struggling to come to terms on a new deal.
Alonso is eligible for arbitration this offseason, and reports suggest that he is seeking a significant raise from his current salary. The Mets, on the other hand, are reportedly hesitant to commit to a long-term deal with the 26-year-old slugger. It remains to be seen how the situation will play out, but it appears that there is still a ways to go before a resolution is reached.
As the hot stove season continues, keep an eye on these and other rumors as teams look to shape their rosters for the 2022 season.
Tags:
MLB rumors, Corbin Burnes, free agency, Mets, Pete Alonso, contract negotiations, player demands, MLB offseason, baseball news, sports updates
You must be logged in to post a comment.