PHOENIX — It was a surprising moment when Corbin Burnes, the ace right-hander, made his appearance in an Arizona Diamondbacks jersey at Chase Field on Wednesday, despite having reached a six-year, $210 million agreement with the team nearly three weeks earlier.
Typically, the Diamondbacks are not known for making significant financial commitments in baseball. However, for Arizona owner Ken Kendrick, the four-time All-Star and 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner represents a worthwhile investment, possibly aided by a small hometown discount.
“We have the potential to be a championship team,” Kendrick shared. “Our objective is to exhaust all possibilities to field the best possible team within our financial means. We’re pushing our budget. This won’t be the last time we make a move like this.”
The acquisition of Burnes enhances the Diamondbacks’ competitiveness in a strong NL West division, which includes the high-spending Los Angeles Dodgers, the previous year’s World Series champions, along with the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. Arizona is optimistic about their prospects after their impressive journey to the World Series in 2023.
In the previous season, the D-backs earned 89 victories but fell short of the playoffs after losing a tiebreaker to the New York Mets. They had an opening-day payroll of around $143 million, placing them in the middle tier of Major League Baseball’s payroll rankings.
“We aim to advance and field the most competitive team this year and in the future,” stated Arizona general manager Mike Hazen. “Acquiring a top-tier starting pitcher is a significant way to achieve that goal. We understand this is essential for postseason success.”
The 30-year-old Burnes, originally from California, relocated to Arizona in 2018 while he was with the Milwaukee Brewers, mainly to be closer to their spring training site. He and his family grew fond of the area and chose to stay, making it a significant factor in his decision to join the Diamondbacks.
Burnes spent six seasons with the Brewers, followed by a single season with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024, where he had a successful stint, finishing with a 15-9 record and a 2.92 ERA. However, the East Coast life was not ideal for his family, as he frequently traveled back to Arizona between starts and almost missed the birth of his twins due to flight issues.
Now, he will spend most of his year closer to home. “When we found out this could be an opportunity, we were thrilled,” Burnes expressed. “It’s the type of scenario you envision; the thought of the Diamondbacks reaching out was exciting. We had to seize that opportunity, and we feel fortunate they were interested.”
Burnes joins an impressive starting rotation for the D-backs, which includes All-Star Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez, and Brandon Pfaadt, all of whom have shown their capabilities in the majors.
He recognized that the D-backs were on the rise last season. While he pitched well against them initially, he was challenged later as the team’s younger players began to improve significantly. Manager Torey Lovullo emphasized speed, defense, and pitching, leading Arizona to apply pressure on their opponents with an aggressive approach.
“They’ve adopted a new style of play that seems to be gaining traction in the league,” Burnes noted. “But I believe the Diamondbacks were pioneering this approach. They’ve excelled in drafting and player development, and I’m excited to contribute to that.”
The D-backs are hopeful that the Burnes signing will yield better results than their past attempts at acquiring free-agent pitchers. They previously signed left-handed pitcher Madison Bumgarner to an $85 million, five-year contract before the 2020 season, but he was released after a lackluster 3 ½ seasons. Deals for Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery last year also fell short due to struggles with performance and injuries.
Nonetheless, Hazen was eager to re-enter the free-agent pitching arena, particularly with Burnes available. “If we shy away from pursuing a player of this caliber, we might as well pursue a different line of work,” Hazen stated candidly.
