The 2024 MLB Winter Meetings are about to conclude, and they did not disappoint. Juan Soto signed one of the largest contracts in MLB history with the New York Mets, and that opened the floodgates.
Once his decision was made, it allowed other teams in pursuit of his services to pivot to their secondary targets. Most notably, the Yankees did their best to bring back Soto with a reported 16-year, $760 million offer.
However, there was some controversy over how Yankees stadium staff had treated Soto's family and the front office not wanting to include a family suite in his contract. The Mets were willing to do so and snagged Soto on a 15-year, $765 million deal that could exceed $800 million thanks to escalators in the contract.
The Yankees likely took this hard as less than 48 hours later, they put the Soto saga behind them and signed former Braves ace Max Fried. Fried joined the Yanks on an eight-year, $218 million contract, the largest ever handed out to a left-handed pitcher and the fourth-largest in MLB history.
This offseason has been very good to free agents with extensive track records. This includes some of the top free agent pitchers such as Fried, Blake Snell, and Nathan Eovaldi. However, one big name remains available: Corbin Burnes.
Corbin Burnes could net a colossal contract after Max Fried's record-breaking deal with Yankees
With Fried signing such a massive contract, there's no doubt Burnes will expect something similar. Burnes' projections had him making more than Fried this offseason. The new Yankees southpaw was projected to earn a six-year contract worth $180 million, according to The Athletic's Tim Britton.
Burnes carries a projected contract of seven years and $217 million. Fried received an extra year and $38 million than expected. There's no reason to believe that Corbin Burnes won't receive an amount higher than anyone thought possible.
He has been linked to a few teams so far this offseason including the Dodgers, Red Sox, Blue Jays, Giants, and Mets. Any one of these teams possesses the ability to offer the type of contract Burnes is hoping to receive.
There's a good reason why Burnes has received so much interest. The California native ranked third in the American League in innings, fourth in ERA, and 10th in strikeouts last season. He had his fourth-consecutive All-Star campaign, and was especially dominant in the O's Wild Card round loss to the Royals.
The only thing teams should be wary of is if Burnes can stay healthy and if his cutter will remain effective. Hitters performed much better against the pitch in 2024 than in previous years, as the opponent's batting average increased from .209 in 2023 to .251 this season.
Corbin Burnes could sign today, suggests FT Senior Insider @Ken_Rosenthal pic.twitter.com/Lc8Ctqpcum
— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) December 11, 2024
Boston reportedly made an offer to the ace righty but they just made a blockbuster trade for lefty flamethrower Garrett Crochet; there's no guarantee they will make a big push for his services now. MLB insider Mark Feinsand reported that while Boston made an offer, the Giants and Blue Jays have been the "most aggressive" in their pursuit of the righty.
He mentioned that Toronto is considered the favorite to land Burnes. Feinsand stated, "If Toronto — which faces the loss of Chris Bassitt after next season and Kevin Gausman following the 2026 campaign — is looking to spend big on an ace, Burnes may be their best and last hope."
Burnes is indeed the best option remaining and it could work in his favor tremendously. San Francisco could offer a hefty deal to Burnes, but they recently inked Willy Adames to a long-term deal. They may be unwilling to outbid the Jays as a result.
While those are the two most active teams reported to be interested in Burnes, fans know good and well that the Dodgers and Mets could swoop in at any moment and offer him an offer he cannot refuse. There are also dark horse teams like the Braves who operate in the shadows and could catch everyone by surprise, however unlikely that may be.