Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes is now an unrestricted free agent and he's projected to be the top pitcher on the market. Spotrac projects Burnes to land a six-year, $180 million contract. Still, some experts project him to land a deal worth north of $200 million.
But the question isn't really how much money he will get. The big question is which team will be paying him this money.
FanSided's Chris Landers recently listed the Los Angeles Dodgers as Burnes' top landing place, above the Toronto Blue Jays, Boston Red Sox, San Francisco Giants, New York Mets, and the aforementioned Orioles.
"Of course, being the Dodgers, they're going to look to do it in grand style. Burnes grew up just 110 miles north of Dodger Stadium, and he'd be an ideal stabilizer for this pitching staff in 2025 and beyond," Landers wrote. "Plus, getting to play for the defending World Series champions is always a compelling sales pitch, especially when it comes with a $200 million+ contract."
Burnes initially placed himself on the Dodgers' radar following the team's 2024 World Series victory. Since then, he's been seen as their top pitching target in free agency.
If the contracts are equal across the board, which is a huge "if" with Mets owner Steve Cohen in play, the Dodgers should have no issue landing Burnes.
Who wouldn't want to play for the reigning World Series champions? Especially since they won the World Series without a true ace on the pitching staff. If the Dodgers add Burnes, they would gain his and Shohei Ohtani's arms during the 2025 season.
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