The Milwaukee Brewers knew that they would not be able to afford 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner Corbin Burnes once he hit free agency. For this reason, they traded him to the Baltimore Orioles prior to the 2024 season for infielder Joey Ortiz and left-handed pitcher DL Hall. Both Ortiz and Hall made Milwaukee’s Opening Day roster last year, and both are projected to play significant roles for the Brewers in 2025.
Hall struggled last season and missed time with injury, but performed well late in the season in a spot start and pitched well out of the bullpen. Ortiz hit .239/.329/.398 with 11 home runs, 60 RBI, and 11 stolen bases, and is likely going to move from third base to shortstop following the departure of Willy Adames in free agency.
Burnes, meanwhile, will not be returning to the Orioles next season.
Former Milwaukee Brewers Ace Corbin Burnes Signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks
In six seasons with the Brewers, Burnes was 45-27 with a 3.26 ERA and 1.06 WHIP. He won the NL Cy Young Award in 2021, a year that saw him go 11-5 with a Major League-leading 2.43 ERA and 0.94 WHIP. The following season, he was 12-8 with a 2.94 ERA and 0.97 WHIP while leading the National League with 243 strikeouts.
In his lone season with the Orioles, Burnes was 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and 1.10 WHIP. He made his fourth-consecutive All-Star team and finished fifth in AL Cy Young Award voting.
Late Friday night/Saturday morning, it was reported that Burnes had signed a six-year $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, who seemingly came out of nowhere to claim the biggest name left on the starting pitcher free agent market.
The signing had many fans around baseball wondering why he chose Arizona over bigger markets.
Former Milwaukee Brewers Pitcher Corbin Burnes Took Less Money to Play for the Arizona Diamondbacks
In the hours that followed the signing, it was revealed that Burnes had received larger offers from other teams, most notably the San Francisco Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays. However, the tax rates in California and Canada were deal-breakers for him.
Corbin Burnes was offered more by the Giants and Blue Jays but big tax difference in Arizona
— Bob Nightengale (@BNightengale) December 28, 2024
Additionally, Burnes lives in Scottsdale, Arizona with his family, so now he will get to be closer to home.
Other teams rumored to have been pursuing Burnes were the Chicago Cubs, Orioles, and Boston Red Sox.
