Trying to figure out if super agent Scott Boras has lost his touch or I’ve totally misread the Corbin Burnes situation.
I’m going to assume it’s me, since Boras always gets the last laugh.
Burnes has reportedly signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks for six years and $210 million with an opt-out after the 2026 season. If $35 million per year still seems like a lot of money after the ridiculous Shohei Ohtani and Juan Soto deals, it is, but I assumed that Boras would take Burnes to another level.
Instead, the Burnes deal, on an annual salary basis, is commensurate with that of the Yankees’ Gerrit Cole, the only other active pitcher (with the exception of Ohtani) to earn an average salary of $35 million per year.
If I recall, I projected that Boras might take advantage of Burnes’ position as the best remaining free-agent starter on the market to get a deal with a total value that “starts with a three.” Clearly, I was wrong, but the fact that Boras didn’t blow up the market leaves Oriole fans to wonder whether their team still isn’t ready to spend with the big boys or if Burnes simply wanted to return to the National League with a team in the left side of the country.
I’m guessing it’s the latter, but I’ve guessed wrong before. The Orioles still have to find a way to shore up their starting rotation, but it’s probably going to require executive VP/general manager Mike Elias to part with some more prized prospects, and the team’s minor league depth is not what it was a year ago.
New owner David Rubenstein wants to build a World Series champion and the departure of Burnes is a major step in the other direction. It will be interesting to see if he’s willing to overpay for the next best available free-agent starter, knowing that Jack Flaherty is not in the same league.
I really don’t think Rubenstein was cowed by the price tag, but I wonder if he would have been willing to give Burnes an opt-out clause. It’s one thing to do that with a Tyler O’Neill and have $30 million or so hanging in the balance if he doesn’t pan out. Quite another with $140 million at stake if Burnes were to suffer a career-killing injury and sticks around to collect the rest of the guarantee.
Of course, the financial hit would be the same either way, but the team should be paying for the possibility that it will get six good years for the massive financial risk it is assuming rather than one or two.
I’m old-fashioned. I think commitment should be a two-way street.