Corbin Burnes, a former Cy Young Award winner, has signed a six-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, according to sources confirmed by ESPN. The deal sends the best player left in free agency to a team that had not been linked to him throughout the winter.
Burnes, 30, was hunting for a landing spot as a free agent pitcher and had expressed a preference for playing on the West Coast. However, he ultimately found an unlikely match with the Diamondbacks, who boast a strong rotation already featuring Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Jordan Montgomery.
The deal includes an opt-out after the second season and marks the latest move by the Diamondbacks to build a roster capable of competing in the National League West, where the Los Angeles Dodgers dominate. The team’s last playoff win came during their 2023 World Series run, when they defeated the Dodgers.
Burnes’ impressive resume makes him an excellent addition to the Diamondbacks’ rotation. He ranks third in Major League Baseball in innings pitched since joining the Milwaukee Brewers in 2020 and boasts a strong ERA and strikeout rate. The pitcher’s skills were highlighted by his performance for the Baltimore Orioles last offseason, where he posted a 2.92 ERA over 194⅓ innings.
Burnes’ new deal does not reach the total value of Max Fried’s eight-year, $218 million contract with the New York Yankees this winter but still puts him in rare company among starting pitchers who have secured at least $35 million per year on a six-plus-year deal. The pitcher remains highly regarded by Stuff+ models, which praise his cutter as one of the best in all starters.
Source: https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/43190275/d-backs-rhp-corbin-burnes-agree-6-years-210m