Juan Soto is going to dominate the free agency headlines this offseason, but if it was just about any other year, it would be Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes who sat atop the free agency market.
Still, Burnes is set to be one of the most coveted free agents of the winter, though his free agency likely won’t heat up until Soto signs. Soto’s going to be valued more than Burnes, so teams won’t be willing to give Burnes $200 million in free agency until they’re crossed off Soto’s list of suitors.
Speaking of $200 million, Bleacher Report’s Jon Heyman recently spoke on Burnes’ free agency market, noting that he expects him to clear the $200 million mark this offseason.
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Spotrac projects Burnes to land a six-year contract worth $180 million this offseason. I would be very surprised to see Burnes take anything less than $35 million a year. He’s a candidate for a front-loaded contract that includes opt-outs down the road.
A six-year, $210 million contract makes a ton of sense to me. With something that steep, it almost completely knocks the Orioles out of the race to re-sign him.
Burnes could even see his value improve if the New York Mets miss on Juan Soto. that case, they will be left with a lot of money to spend and big names on their mind.
Either way, Burnes is the best pitcher on the market, and the massive contract that he signs this offseason will reflect that.
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