Ex-Brewers' Corbin Burnes Predicted To Land Mega-Deal With AL East Contender

The former Milwaukee ace is still searching for a spot to land

Aug 17, 2023; Los Angeles, California, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws to the plate in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The Milwaukee Brewers would love to re-sign former homegrown pitcher Corbin Burnes but his market value has risen to a level the small-market franchise can't reach.

After finishing fifth in American League Cy Young votes from his stellar 2024 campaign, Burnes is projected to land a deal in the $200 million range, according to MLB Trade Rumors.

With several big-market clubs looking to acquire Burnes this winter, an American League East club hoping to climb out of the bottom of its division is considered a top landing spot for the highly coveted starter.

"With Kevin Gausman and José Berríos already in their rotation, the (Toronto) Blue Jays arguably don't need another top-of-the-rotation starter," Bleacher Report's Zachary D. Rymer wrote Monday morning. "Not as much as they need a star batsman, anyway, and it's hard to ignore how perfect (Alex) Bregman would be for them. Yet where as one hitter would only do so much to transform their offense, another ace-type starter would make Toronto's rotation into a juggernaut. To this end, Feinsand's report claims that the Blue Jays are considered the favorite to sign Burnes."

Burnes has posted a 60-36 record with a 3.19 ERA, 4.1-to-1 strikeout-to-walk ratio, .212 batting average against and a 1.06 WHIP throughout his seven-year career, during which he played for the Brewers and Baltimore Orioles.

Following the recent lucrative signings of several free agent starting pitchers, such as Blake Snell to the Los Angeles Dodgers and Max Fried to the New York Yankees, Burnes should exceed his $200 million projected market value.

The 2021 National League Cy Young recipient remains the most valuable starter available, so it wouldn't be shocking if the Blue Jays do whatever's necessary to acquire Burnes.

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