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Starting pitcher Corbin Burnes is expected to have several high-profile teams interested in him as a free agent.
According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, the New York Mets and New York Yankees will be involved in Burnes’ free agency process. The Los Angeles Dodgers and San Francisco Giants are also “expected” to be in play, while the Baltimore Orioles are interested in a potential return.
Heyman also projected Burnes to receive a seven-year, $210 million contract as a free agent after “conversations with expert consultants.”
ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel previously reported that the 30-year-old is “widely expected to clear $200 million” on his next contract.
A potential $210 million deal would represent the third-largest overall contract value among active starters, per Spotrac. Burnes would rank just above Jacob deGrom of the Texas Rangers while only trailing Yankees ace Gerrit Cole and Dodgers right-hander Yoshinobu Yamamoto.
After New York and Los Angeles faced off in the 2024 World Series, it’s no surprise that both teams are interested in adding another elite starter to their respective rotations.
Burnes has been an All-Star in each of the past four seasons, earning National League Cy Young honors in 2021. In 32 starts with the Orioles during his 2024 campaign, he finished with a 15-9 record to go along with a 2.92 ERA. Burnes also struck out 181 batters and allowed 48 walks in 194.1 innings of work.
Heyman reported on Wednesday that the Yankees “checked on” Burnes, but it was uncertain if New York would be willing to add him while simultaneously bringing back slugger Juan Soto in free agency.
The Mets could also be an option for Burnes, as president of baseball operations David Stearns previously spent time in the Milwaukee Brewers’ front office during the starter’s six-year stint with the organization.
The Dodgers may potentially add Burnes to a World Series-winning pitching staff that already features Yamamoto as well as the expected return of Shohei Ohtani on the mound.
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