• Slug: Sports-Corbin Burnes Diamondbacks. 670 words.
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By Ari Wohl
Cronkite News

PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t offer Corbin Burnes the most money in free agency, but his new deal includes a perk no other team could match: a chance to stay local and prioritize his family.

Burnes moved to Arizona in 2018 with his wife, Brooke, who gave birth to twin girls last summer.  

“The family aspect of this was huge for us … When we heard that this could be an opportunity, we got really excited,” Burnes said.

Arizona signed Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract in December. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2026 season, with $64 million deferred, and exceeds Zack Greinke’s $206.5 million deal from 2015 for the richest deal in Diamondbacks history.

Burnes enters the Valley in a move that aims to bolster a Diamondbacks pitching staff that combined for a 4.62 ERA in 2024, the fourth-worst in the league. 

“It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to sign a player of Corbin’s caliber to add to a team that we feel over the last couple of years has grown into one of the better teams in the National League,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said.

The Diamondbacks stunned the league in 2023, reaching the World Series for the first time since 2001. Last season, despite improving its win total by five, Arizona missed the postseason after finishing tied with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the National League wild-card race, but losing the tiebreaker at 89-73.

“This is a team that is built to win baseball games and to win in the postseason, they showed that in ‘23,” Burnes said. “I want to win the entire time I’m here, and this is a team that’s built to do that.”

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft, Burnes spent six years with the club and won a Cy Young award in 2021. Before the start of the 2024 season, the Brewers traded Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, where he started 32 games and finished with a 15-9 record, 2.92 ERA and fifth in Cy Young voting. Last season marked his fifth consecutive year finishing in the top 10. 

Since the start of the 2020 season, only Max Fried has a lower ERA than Burnes among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched. Fried sits at a 2.81 ERA, with Burnes slightly higher at 2.88.

Burnes joins Zac Gallen atop the Diamondbacks’ rotation. Gallen is a frontline starter in his own right, finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2023 and pitching to a 3.20 ERA over his last three years.

“When I called Zac (Gallen) to tell him that he was joining Corbin, I probably have never heard him more excited,” Burnes’ agent, Scott Boras, said. “That to me tells you about what that locker room is going to be like and what influence that’s going to have.”

This offseason has been busy for the Diamondbacks. After long-time Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker agreed to a deal with the Houston Astros, Arizona quickly found his replacement by acquiring Josh Naylor in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. But Burnes helps solve an area of improvement entering the 2025 season.

In 2024, the Diamondbacks saw improvement with starters Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt reaching career highs in innings pitched. On the other hand, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona’s top free-agent signings in the 2023-24 offseason, combined for just 167 innings and a 5.87 ERA.

For Burnes, his decision to stay local and leave higher offers on the table shows a desire to put his family first while also competing for a World Series. And for the Diamondbacks, his arrival signals a renewed push for a postseason return. 

“Getting to wake up and take my son to school in a couple of years is a lot better than having to FaceTime in the morning and say, ‘Have a good day at school,’” Burnes said.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t offer Corbin Burnes the most money in free agency, but his new deal includes a perk no other team could match: a chance to stay local and prioritize his family.

Burnes moved to Arizona in 2018 with his wife, Brooke, who gave birth to twin girls last summer.  

“The family aspect of this was huge for us … When we heard that this could be an opportunity, we got really excited,” Burnes said.

Arizona signed Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract in December. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2026 season, with $64 million deferred, and exceeds Zack Greinke’s $206.5 million deal from 2015 for the richest deal in Diamondbacks history.

Burnes enters the Valley in a move that aims to bolster a Diamondbacks pitching staff that combined for a 4.62 ERA in 2024, the fourth-worst in the league. 

“It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to sign a player of Corbin’s caliber to add to a team that we feel over the last couple of years has grown into one of the better teams in the National League,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said.

The Diamondbacks stunned the league in 2023, reaching the World Series for the first time since 2001. Last season, despite improving its win total by five, Arizona missed the postseason after finishing tied with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the National League wild-card race, but losing the tiebreaker at 89-73.

“This is a team that is built to win baseball games and to win in the postseason, they showed that in ‘23,” Burnes said. “I want to win the entire time I’m here, and this is a team that’s built to do that.”

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft, Burnes spent six years with the club and won a Cy Young award in 2021. Before the start of the 2024 season, the Brewers traded Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, where he started 32 games and finished with a 15-9 record, 2.92 ERA and fifth in Cy Young voting. Last season marked his fifth consecutive year finishing in the top 10. 

Since the start of the 2020 season, only Max Fried has a lower ERA than Burnes among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched. Fried sits at a 2.81 ERA, with Burnes slightly higher at 2.88.

Burnes joins Zac Gallen atop the Diamondbacks’ rotation. Gallen is a frontline starter in his own right, finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2023 and pitching to a 3.20 ERA over his last three years.

“When I called Zac (Gallen) to tell him that he was joining Corbin, I probably have never heard him more excited,” Burnes’ agent, Scott Boras, said. “That to me tells you about what that locker room is going to be like and what influence that’s going to have.”

This offseason has been busy for the Diamondbacks. After long-time Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker agreed to a deal with the Houston Astros, Arizona quickly found his replacement by acquiring Josh Naylor in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. But Burnes helps solve an area of improvement entering the 2025 season.

In 2024, the Diamondbacks saw improvement with starters Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt reaching career highs in innings pitched. On the other hand, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona’s top free-agent signings in the 2023-24 offseason, combined for just 167 innings and a 5.87 ERA.

For Burnes, his decision to stay local and leave higher offers on the table shows a desire to put his family first while also competing for a World Series. And for the Diamondbacks, his arrival signals a renewed push for a postseason return. 

“Getting to wake up and take my son to school in a couple of years is a lot better than having to FaceTime in the morning and say, ‘Have a good day at school,’” Burnes said.

PHOENIX – The Arizona Diamondbacks didn’t offer Corbin Burnes the most money in free agency, but his new deal includes a perk no other team could match: a chance to stay local and prioritize his family.

Burnes moved to Arizona in 2018 with his wife, Brooke, who gave birth to twin girls last summer.  

“The family aspect of this was huge for us … When we heard that this could be an opportunity, we got really excited,” Burnes said.

Arizona signed Burnes to a six-year, $210 million contract in December. The deal includes an opt-out after the 2026 season, with $64 million deferred, and exceeds Zack Greinke’s $206.5 million deal from 2015 for the richest deal in Diamondbacks history.

Burnes enters the Valley in a move that aims to bolster a Diamondbacks pitching staff that combined for a 4.62 ERA in 2024, the fourth-worst in the league. 

“It’s not every day that you have the opportunity to sign a player of Corbin’s caliber to add to a team that we feel over the last couple of years has grown into one of the better teams in the National League,” Diamondbacks general manager Mike Hazen said.

The Diamondbacks stunned the league in 2023, reaching the World Series for the first time since 2001. Last season, despite improving its win total by five, Arizona missed the postseason after finishing tied with the Atlanta Braves and New York Mets in the National League wild-card race, but losing the tiebreaker at 89-73.

“This is a team that is built to win baseball games and to win in the postseason, they showed that in ‘23,” Burnes said. “I want to win the entire time I’m here, and this is a team that’s built to do that.”

Drafted by the Milwaukee Brewers in the fourth round of the 2016 MLB draft, Burnes spent six years with the club and won a Cy Young award in 2021. Before the start of the 2024 season, the Brewers traded Burnes to the Baltimore Orioles, where he started 32 games and finished with a 15-9 record, 2.92 ERA and fifth in Cy Young voting. Last season marked his fifth consecutive year finishing in the top 10. 

Since the start of the 2020 season, only Max Fried has a lower ERA than Burnes among pitchers with at least 500 innings pitched. Fried sits at a 2.81 ERA, with Burnes slightly higher at 2.88.

Burnes joins Zac Gallen atop the Diamondbacks’ rotation. Gallen is a frontline starter in his own right, finishing third in Cy Young voting in 2023 and pitching to a 3.20 ERA over his last three years.

“When I called Zac (Gallen) to tell him that he was joining Corbin, I probably have never heard him more excited,” Burnes’ agent, Scott Boras, said. “That to me tells you about what that locker room is going to be like and what influence that’s going to have.”

This offseason has been busy for the Diamondbacks. After long-time Diamondbacks first baseman Christian Walker agreed to a deal with the Houston Astros, Arizona quickly found his replacement by acquiring Josh Naylor in a trade with the Cleveland Guardians. But Burnes helps solve an area of improvement entering the 2025 season.

In 2024, the Diamondbacks saw improvement with starters Ryne Nelson and Brandon Pfaadt reaching career highs in innings pitched. On the other hand, Jordan Montgomery and Eduardo Rodriguez, Arizona’s top free-agent signings in the 2023-24 offseason, combined for just 167 innings and a 5.87 ERA.

For Burnes, his decision to stay local and leave higher offers on the table shows a desire to put his family first while also competing for a World Series. And for the Diamondbacks, his arrival signals a renewed push for a postseason return. 

“Getting to wake up and take my son to school in a couple of years is a lot better than having to FaceTime in the morning and say, ‘Have a good day at school,’” Burnes said.