The Milwaukee Brewers and ace Corbin Burnes are likely headed for salary arbitration after failing to come to terms on a contract for 2023. Brewers general manager Matt Arnold got brutally honest on the salary conversations with Burnes, per MLB.com's Adam McCalvy.

“Look, we’re still open to having conversations,” Arnold said. “Corbin is a super-talented player, and it’s a unique case, right? There are very relevant comparables for him on both sides of the ledger that make sense, and it’s really just part of the process. We certainly don’t want anyone to take any of these negotiations personally. We love these guys like crazy.”

The arbitration process tends to put a strain on player-organization relationships. It leads to both sides countering one another to get the best possible contract for the season. Players and teams are expected to not take it personal as Arnold said. But Corbin Burnes will be in an excellent position to win his arbitration case as a result of his superb 2022 season.

Burnes, who won the 2021 NL Cy Young award, garnered Cy Young attention once again in 2022. He ultimately finished the year with a 2.94 ERA and a league leading 243 strikeouts.

The star right-hander was linked to various teams in trade rumors to open the offseason. But Milwaukee is expected to keep Burnes on the team in 2023. However, this potential arbitration case between Corbin Burnes and the Brewers will be worth keeping tabs on.

Milwaukee expects to compete in 2023. But if they falter and end up selling ahead of the trade deadline, Burnes could be made available.