Corbin Burnes remains a free agent on Christmas Eve and is looking to get a hefty contract from his next team.
“(Max) Fried sort of set the pitching market this year with that eight-year, $218M deal. Burnes, from what I understand, is looking for somewhere along the lines of that Stephen Strasburg deal from five years ago – $245 million,” MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand said Monday on MLB Network.
Burnes rejected the Baltimore Orioles’ qualifying offer, making him a free agent. He’s been connected to teams throughout the offseason — including the Boston Red Sox — but he has yet to sign anywhere.
A 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner, has had fewer strikeouts over the past two seasons than he did in 2021 and 2022 he’s still been a solid pitcher and has been named an All-Star for four straight years.
In 32 starts for the Orioles last season, Burnes went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA with 181 strikeouts. He has 200 and a career-high 243 in 2023 and 2022, respectively.
The Red Sox at one point were “readying an offer” for Burnes after they missed out on Fried, who signed with the New York Yankees after receiving a contract that was “significantly ahead” of Boston’s. But after the Red Sox traded for Garrett Crochet and signed Walker Buehler this month, it’s unlikely they’ll continue their pursuit.
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