PHOENIX — Although it had been nearly three weeks since ace right-hander Corbin Burnes agreed to a six-year, $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks, it was still a bit amazing to see him in the team’s jersey at Chase Field on Wednesday.
The D-backs are generally not one of baseball’s big spenders.
For Arizona owner Ken Kendrick, the four-time All-Star and 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner was a profitable investment. A slight reduction in the hometown could also have been a factor.
“We have the potential to be a championship team,” Kendrick said. “Our job is to try to do everything we can to put the best possible team on the field that we can afford. We stretch the budget. We win.” It won’t be the last time.
The move keeps the Diamondbacks competitive in a loaded NL West that includes the Los Angeles Dodgers — who won the World Series last year — and the San Diego Padres and San Francisco Giants. Arizona has reason to be confident it can succeed after reaching the World Series in 2023.
The D-backs won 89 games last season, but missed the playoffs after losing in a tiebreaker to the New York Mets. Arizona had an opening day payroll of about $143 million last season, which ranked in the middle of the MLB.
“We’re looking to move forward, put the best team possible on the field this year and beyond,” Arizona general manager Mike Hazen said. “There’s no better way to do that than adding a No. 1 starting pitcher to the top of your rotation.
“We know that’s what wins in the playoffs and we know that’s what gets you to the playoffs.”
Burnes, 30, a California native, moved to Arizona in 2018 while playing for the Milwaukee Brewers, in part so he could be close to the Brewers’ spring training facility. He and his family loved the area so much that they stayed there, and it was a big factor in his decision to sign with the Diamondbacks.
Burnes played his first six seasons with the Brewers before his one and only season with the Baltimore Orioles in 2024. He had a lot of success, finishing 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA.
But the franchise’s East Coast location was never a perfect fit for his family life. The pitcher was constantly flying home to Arizona between starts and nearly missed the birth of his twins in June due to a plane problem.
From now on, he will spend most of the year close to home.
“When we heard this could be an opportunity, we got really excited,” Burnes said. “It’s something you dream about – what happens if the Diamondbacks come calling?” It had to be taken. We were lucky that they were interested.
The right-hander joins a starting rotation that could be one of the best in baseball. The D-backs bring back All-Stars Zac Gallen, Merrill Kelly, Eduardo Rodriguez and Brandon Pfaadt, all of whom have had success in the big leagues.
Burnes said he realized the D-backs were one of the game’s promising teams in 2023. He pitched well against Arizona early in the year, but was knocked down later in the season so that the team’s young core was improving. Manager Torey Lovullo focused on speed, defense and pitching, putting pressure on opposing teams with their aggressive attitude.
“They play a different style of baseball and I think we’re starting to see that around the league,” Burnes said. “But for me, the Diamondbacks were the first team to do that. They wrote well, well developed. I’m happy to be part of it.
The D-backs hope the Burnes deal works out better than many of their recent forays into the free agent pitching market.
Left-hander Madison Bumgarner signed a five-year, $85 million contract before the 2020 season, but lasted only 3 1/2 disappointing seasons before being released in 2023. Last year’s big contracts for Rodriguez and Jordan Montgomery were also duds, with both pitchers struggling with ineffectiveness. , injuries or both.
But Hazen wasn’t afraid to dip his toe back into the free agent pitching market, especially when Burnes was an option.
“Might as well go do another job if we’re going to be afraid to bring in a guy of that caliber,” Hazen said.
