The only thing worse that missing on a top free-agent target is having to see that missed free-agent target on a regular basis.
The San Francisco Giants get to live that nightmare with Corbin Burnes after he agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks on Saturday.
The contours of the deal are starting to emerge, thanks to reporting from Per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale. But, San Francisco Chronicle reporter Susan Slusser reported that the Giants “did not” offer Burnes more than the Diamondbacks did.
It may have been for nothing. While Burnes is a California native and went to Saint Mary’s to play baseball, he now lives in Arizona and his wife just gave birth to twins last summer. So, playing for Arizona affords him the chance to live there year-around, including spring training.
As for the deal, Nightengale reported that Burnes will be paid $35 million each year of the deal. It also comes with a no-trade clause, but not for the duration.
Burnes’ agent, Scott Boras, negotiated his client an opt-out after the 2026 season, when Burnes will be 32 years old. If he chooses to opt out, he goes back into free agency. If he stays with Arizona, then he’ll remain there for the rest of the deal, but he’ll only be able to block a trade to 14 teams.
Nightengale also reported that an AL East team offered him $250 million, but with no opt-out. He didn’t name the team that made the offer, but he reported that Burnes’ former team, the Baltimore Orioles, were “aggressive” in trying to keep him.
Burnes leaves the O’s after one great season, as he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and helped Baltimore make the playoffs for the second straight year. With an injury-riddled rotation behind him, he took the ball every turn and had 181 strikeouts and 48 walks in 194.1 innings.
He was also named the starter for the American League in the All-Star Game and finished fifth in AL Cy Young voting.
His deal is the second-highest free-agent deal for a starting pitcher this offseason, with Max Fried beating him on an eight-year, $218 million deal with the Yankees.
The Giants now have to look elsewhere in the market for starting pitching. Right now, their rotation looks like Logan Webb, Robbie Ray, Hayden Birdsong, Kyle Harrison and a young fifth starter. Hence the hope of getting one more veteran.
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