The Diamondbacks have shocked the baseball world, as the New York Post's Jon Heyman reported late Friday night that Corbin Burnes has agreed to a massive deal with Arizona in free agency. Life won't be easy for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The D-backs and Burnes agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal, which includes an opt-out after the 2027 season, allowing him to hit the free agent market after his age-31 campaign. This pays him a $35 million AAV, which put him among the highest in the game for starting pitchers. It's the largest contract in Diamondbacks history, surpassing the $206.5 million deal given to Zack Greinke back in 2015.
With plenty of rumors swirling in regards to where the former Brewers and Orioles ace might go in free agency, Arizona was not mentioned as a potential destination until the very end. Burnes was linked to the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays for much of his free agency, with USA Today's Bob Nightengale reporting that he was seeking up to $245 million.
Breaking: Corbin Burnes to Diamondbacks, $210M, 6 years. opt out after 2 years.
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) December 28, 2024
What likely swung the decision to Arizona was not only the opt-out, but the ability to live year-round in one place and raise a young family. He lives in Scottsdale in the offseason, and his wife gave birth to twins in July, giving the Diamondbacks a strong advantage when the money was close (the state income tax rate helped here).
Diamondbacks set franchise record with Corbin Burnes contract
While the Diamondbacks aren't the best team in the National League West, the addition of Burnes gives them a good enough roster to compete with their rivals in Los Angeles. Arizona got the last laugh in their previous postseason matchup, sweeping a decimated Dodgers team in the NLDS on their way to a National League pennant in 2023. LA answered back with a World Series championship the following season, but they didn't have to run into Arizona in the playoffs last year.
The NL West has been an arms race this offseason when it comes to free agency. The Diamondbacks, Dodgers, and Giants have each signed a marquee free agent to a contract with a maximum guarantee of at least $182 million, with Willy Adames joining the division and Blake Snell going from San Francisco to Los Angeles. The Padres still have a pretty strong roster themselves, coming off a 93-win season and pushing the Dodgers to the brink in the NLDS.
With the addition of Burnes, he joins a rotation that includes Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodríguez, Brandon Pfaadt, Jordan Montgomery, and Ryne Nelson. The Diamondbacks will have to make some tough decisions with their starting rotation. Montgomery is certainly going to be on the move, but the more interesting decision will be whether they trade an expiring contract like Gallen or a more controllable arm like Pfaadt or Nelson.
On the financial side of things, Roster Resource estimates the team's payroll at $193 million and their Competitive Balance Tax payroll at $217 million, with both figures include Burnes' yearly average.
Even though the Diamondbacks have some uncertainty regarding television money, they have continued to push forward. They got a sizable attendance bump in 2024 thanks to an unlikely World Series run and played meaningful games all the way to the end the following season.