NEW YORK — Right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes has completed a significant move in his career by signing a six-year, $210 million deal with the Arizona Diamondbacks. This contract comes with $64 million in payments that are deferred and set to be paid between 2031 and 2036, according to newly available contract details.
As part of this agreement, Burnes will receive a $10 million signing bonus that is due within 30 days following the approval by the commissioner’s office. Additionally, his salary structure includes $30 million for both the 2025 and 2026 seasons, followed by $35 million for each of the subsequent four seasons.
The announcement of this landmark deal for the Diamondbacks occurred on Monday, marking the largest contract in the team’s history. The contract features $10 million in deferred payments during the initial two years, along with $11 million in deferred payments for the next four years thereafter. Burnes, who clinched the NL Cy Young Award in 2021 and is a four-time All-Star, has the option to opt out after the conclusion of the 2026 season.
Should he choose not to opt out, the deferred payments will be structured as $10 million on November 1 of 2031 and 2032, increasing to $11 million on November 1 for each year from 2033 through 2036. Conversely, if Burnes opts out, he will receive the deferred amount in $10 million increments on November 1 of 2027 and 2028.
Burnes’s contract also includes a complete no-trade clause effective until March 31, 2027. If he remains with the team beyond that period without opting out, he can designate a list of 14 teams every March 15 starting in 2027 to which he cannot be traded without his consent.
In terms of performance bonuses, he stands to earn $250,000 for winning a Cy Young Award, $150,000 for a second-place finish, $100,000 for third, $75,000 for fourth, and $50,000 for fifth. Furthermore, he would receive $50,000 for being elected or selected to the All-Star team and similar amounts for winning accolades such as a Gold Glove, being named World Series MVP, League Championship Series MVP, or ranking first or second on the All-MLB team.
The Diamondbacks have also provided Burnes with four premium season tickets in the best available location at no cost for all regular-season, postseason, and spring training games, with an option for him to purchase two additional adjacent tickets. Road trips will see him equipped with a hotel suite, and he has agreed to contribute 1% of both his salary and signing bonus to the team’s charitable foundation.
Joining a rotation that is shaping up to feature players like Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Brandon Pfaadt, and Eduardo Rodríguez, Burnes is prepared to make his mark. Having recently turned 30 in October, Burnes holds a record of 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA for the previous season with Baltimore, having joined the team from Milwaukee through a trade in February. Over his seven-year career split between the Brewers and Orioles, he maintains a record of 60-36 and a 3.19 ERA.
