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Free agent right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes continues to be the most coveted player on the market. He has been heavily linked to the San Francisco Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays as the two most probable destinations. While San Francisco has made an offer, sources suggest the Giants are growing impatient, leading them to explore other free-agent options to bolster their roster.
If the Giants manage to secure the Cy Young Award winner, it could significantly bolster their roster and position them as a stronger contender compared to last season.
Sources indicate that Corbin Burnes is looking for a deal worth at least $245 million, matching the seven-year, $245 million contract signed by Stephen Strasburg in December 2019. This would make it the third-highest guaranteed contract in history for a starting pitcher.
The Giants making big splashes and potentially signing Corbin Burnes
After the recent moves they've made, San Francisco has demonstrated a willingness to invest in improving the team. Given this, signing Corbin Burnes could be a logical next step. While the deal may come with a significant price tag, unless his market deviates from expectations, it would make sense for the team to pursue him as a valuable addition.
The Giants have already signed shortstop Willy Adames to a seven-year, $182 million deal, which required them to forfeit their second- and fifth-round picks in the 2025 draft, along with $1 million from their international signing bonus pool, as Adames declined the qualifying offer from the Brewers.
To bring Burnes to San Francisco and reunite him with Adames, the Giants would need to forfeit their third- and sixth-round picks in the 2025 draft, which would significantly impact their draft class for the upcoming year.
The idea of Burnes joining the Giants is hard to ignore, particularly given his ties to the area—he played at St. Mary's College of California, located 25 miles from San Francisco. Burnes would take Snell's spot in the starting rotation, pairing with Logan Webb to create a dynamic 1-2 punch.
The rotation would also include Robbie Ray, Kyle Harrison, and Jordan Hicks, giving the Giants one of the most potent lineups of starting pitchers in the league.\
Concerns on Burnes underperforming
There aren't many concerns regarding the veteran's performance. When he's at his best, he's undoubtedly among the top five starters in Major League Baseball. However, one potential area of concern is that his strikeout numbers haven't been as impressive in recent seasons.
In Burnes' defense, he had a few rough starts after the All-Star break, which impacted his overall numbers. Had he performed better in the second half of the season, he likely would have been in Cy Young contention, but unfortunately, that wasn't the case.
His strikeout numbers were affected by those struggles, and at times during the season, they weren't up to his usual standard. However, his stuff is expected to perform well at Oracle Park for the Giants.
Burnes' reliability is one of his key strengths. He consistently takes the mound and made every start for Baltimore last season. Likewise, Giants starter Logan Webb has been remarkably durable, leading all pitchers in innings over the past three years. The two could combine to create a dominant 1-2 duo for San Francisco's rotation.
Corbin Burnes has surpassed 190 innings pitched in each of the past seasons, earning All-Star selections while posting a combined 3.15 ERA over 64 starts. Most recently, he finished fifth in the AL Cy Young Award voting for the 2024 season.
If San Francisco doesn't secure Burnes, there could be concerns about the depth of their rotation. With an eye on competing next season, adding Burnes would be a highly beneficial move.