Former Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes has been the most sought-after starting pitcher this offseason, but remains unsigned. Major league teams like the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees have made significant moves to improve their pitching staffs, with the Red Sox acquiring Garrett Crochet and the Yankees signing two-time All-Star Max Fried. Despite missing out on re-signing outfielder Juan Soto, the Yankees secured Fried with a lucrative mega deal.
ESPN's Jeff Passan noted that Burnes and third baseman Alex Bregman are the remaining players who fit this description, both with distinct but overlapping markets. They also share the same agent (Scott Boras) and are expected to sign after Christmas. Expect Burnes' contract to surpass Fried's eight-year, $218 million deal. Bregman's contract could also be in the $200 million range. The strong markets for both players stem from numerous teams still possessing significant financial resources, including the Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, Boston Red Sox, Baltimore Orioles, Detroit Tigers, Houston Astros, and both New York Mets and Yankees. Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young winner, has been a reliable starter for the past five seasons and is poised to secure one of the biggest pitching contracts this offseason, second only to Gerrit Cole's deal with the Yankees and Yoshinobu Yamamoto's with the Dodgers. While the Yankees and Red Sox have already made moves for Crochet and Fried, they may not be finished bolstering their rotations. Both American League East contenders aim to prove their dominance next season, and Burnes could be the final piece of the puzzle for either team to claim the 2025 division title