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During the offseason, Corbin Burnes left the Baltimore Orioles in favor of the Arizona Diamondbacks, which, according to a new report, may have meant he left money on the table.
Burnes, a former Cy Young winner, was one of the top free-agent pitchers this past winter. Believed to be in the running for the 30-year-old pitcher were the San Francisco Giants, Toronto Blue Jays, and the Orioles. However, just after Christmas, Burnes agreed to a six-year deal worth $210 million with the Diamondbacks.
While Burnes will make a ton of cash regardless, reporters have discovered Burnes could have made even more money, at least in the short term, had he decided to stay in Baltimore.
“The offer to Burnes — first reported by Orioles beat writers Tuesday and confirmed by two sources in Burnes’ camp — was four years, $180 million,” The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal wrote. “The $45 million average annual value would have set a record for a pitcher not named Shohei Ohtani. But Burnes, 30, last went on the injured list for arm trouble in July 2019. He was the healthiest domestic ace to hit the market since Gerrit Cole. It was not unreasonable for him to want more than four years.
“The six-year, $210 million deal Burnes signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks included deferrals and an opt out after two years. The Orioles’ offer did not include deferrals, a source said, so in present value, their proposed AAV was about $12 million higher than the Diamondbacks’, and their proposed total guarantee was within $20 million.”
Rosenthal wrote, however, that Burnes and his family already lived in Arizona, which meant home games and spring training would be nearby.
Although Burnes has not performed well since putting on a Diamondbacks uniform — he has a 5.79 ERA through two starts — he could potentially earn more money than he is currently slated to if he has an impressive first two years in Arizona.
After the 2026 season, Burnes could decide to exercise an option to terminate the rest of the deal and become a free agent once again at age 32. It is very realistic to think that a healthy Burnes could fetch more than $96 million over four years, which he would be paid if he opts in and remains with Arizona. Blake Snell, 32, signed a five-year, $182 million deal with the Dodgers this past offseason (albeit with deferrals). Max Fried, now 31, also signed an eight-year, $218 million contract with the New York Yankees in December.
Burnes, whose Diamondbacks are currently hosting the Orioles, is projected to make his next start over the weekend vs. the Milwaukee Brewers. Unless the teams meet in the playoffs, Burnes and the Diamondbacks do not make a trip to play the Orioles in Baltimore this season.
