The New York Mets were two wins shy of reaching the 2024 World Series largely because of how well their starting rotation performed down the stretch. However, several key contributors are hitting free agency. Could part of president of baseball operations David Stearns’ offseason strategy include signing Corbin Burnes to a big-money deal?
MLB Trade Rumors released its yearly article ranking the top 50 MLB free agents, which also provides predictions on landing spots and contract terms from four writers.
They’re split on Burnes’ next team, but two believe he’s headed to Queens on a seven-year, $200 million deal. While this is a lot of money, some may view it as a slight discount. The Athletic’s Tim Britton projected a seven-year, $217 million guarantee for the hurler on Tuesday.
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Burnes is the top starting pitcher in free agency. So, it wouldn’t be shocking to see agent Scott Boras try to create a bidding war between interested teams. He could’ve been a potential Gerrit Cole replacement for the New York Yankees. But since Cole has decided to remain with the Bombers, they’re likely out as a realistic landing spot.
The right-hander won’t be lacking in potential suitors this winter, though. Burnes has been among the game’s best since 2020, posting a 52-31 record with a 2.88 ERA, 1.02 WHIP and 946 strikeouts in 816.2 innings. He’s heading into free agency fresh off a 15-win campaign with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024 that resulted in a 2.92 ERA in 194.1 innings pitched.
The Mets have plenty of work to do regarding their rotation. Jose Quintana, Sean Manaea and Luis Severino have become free agents. Stearns said on Tuesday he anticipates adding “multiple” starting pitchers to his roster. Pairing Burnes with Kodai Senga would give the Mets an enviable one-two punch at the top of their rotation.
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