The MLB offseason had plenty of big names, with New York Mets superstar Juan Soto at the forefront of the free agency frenzy. Another interesting player on the market was pitcher Corbin Burnes.
Burnes was with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, and he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA in 32 games in his lone season in Baltimore.
The Orioles did want to bring Burnes back, but the deal never came through. In turn, he ended up signing a six-year contract worth $210 million with the Arizona Diamondbacks, returning to the National League where he spent the first six seasons of his career as a member of the Milwaukee Brewers.
As it turns out, Burnes opened up on the Orioles’ discussions before he pivoted and wound up in the desert.
Orioles Missed on Corbin Burnes
Recent reports state that the Orioles offered Burnes a four-year deal worth $180 million, which is still a sizable contract for the 30-year-old pitcher.
Instead, Burnes signed for two more years with the Diamondbacks, and he opened up on those talks recently.
“I don’t think the dollar amount was an issue because the dollars here were more than what they were there,” Burnes said. “I don’t think we necessarily matched up on the years in order to get to a dollar amount for me to stay there.”
“I can’t guarantee I would’ve gone there had this offer not come around,” Burnes added. “It’s tough to play the what-if game, but they were definitely interested. This is by far the best offer we had.”
Burnes admits the Orioles were interested, which confirms recent reports of a four-year offer coming from the team, although the Arizona offer came together “quick.”
“This deal came together real quick,” Burnes stated. “They (the Orioles) were one of the teams that were still under consideration. When the Diamondbacks came in, they came in hot and heavy, it was a matter of 72 hours. It was quick.”
In August 2022, Burnes and his wife purchased a 5,000-square-foot house in Scottsdale, Arizona, so the opportunity to be close to home was a big decision for the Burnes family as well.
That, along with the extra years and contract over $200 million, made it an easy move for Burnes.
So far, he has an 0-1 record with a 5.28 ERA in his first three starts, so it hasn’t been the hot start he was hoping for. Still, it’s early in the season, so there is time to turn it around.