In what is easily the most stunning move of the winter thus far — sorry, Luis Severino to Sacramento, you’ve been usurped — the Snakes of Arizona have shelled out an astonishing bucket of cash ($210 million over six years) for free-agent right-hander Corbin Burnes.
The market’s top starting pitcher available had reportedly been aggressively pursued by San Francisco and Toronto. He instead opted for a D-backs team that did not appear in dire need of rotation reinforcements but seized the opportunity to add elite talent to its roster nonetheless. Early reports indicate that the Giants and Blue Jays offered larger deals, but the lower taxes in Arizona helped amplify the Snakes’ offer. Additionally, Burnes and his wife, Brooke, had twins earlier this year, and signing with the Snakes will afford him significantly more time at their Scottsdale home.
While Burnes appears to have spurned larger raw numbers for lower taxes and family comfort in the desert, let’s not act like he signed a minor-league deal with an invite to spring training. No, he did not ultimately secure an especially lengthy deal of eight or even nine years — which many expected he could have, especially after Max Fried signed an eight-year deal — but Burnes’ $35 million average annual value tied Stephen Strasburg for sixth-highest ever for a starting pitcher. And with an opt-out reportedly included after two years, Burnes could re-enter the market after 2026 at age 32 — the age Blake Snell is now — and cash in again elsewhere if he continues to excel and decides to forgo the rest of his deal with the Snakes. Clearly, this contract provides Burnes a combination of immense financial security and personal comfort while adding an ace to a roster that is ready to compete.
There’s also one element of this deal that lessens the shock factor considerably: There’s a bit of déjà vú involved here. It was nearly a decade ago that this same franchise came out of nowhere in December to sign star right-hander Zack Greinke to a six-year, $206.5 million deal after Greinke opted out of the three years, $71 million remaining on his Dodgers contract. At the time, Greinke was two years older than Burnes is now, but he was also in the midst of his prime and coming off an even better season than the one Burnes had in 2024, having led the NL in ERA…