Ex-Brewers Star Corbin Burnes Predicted To Betray Orioles For Deal With AL East Foe

The former Milwaukee hurler could remain in the American League East

Sep 8, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) throws a pitch in the first inning against the San Francisco Giants at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Benny Sieu-Imagn Images / Benny Sieu-Imagn Images

Former Milwaukee Brewers right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes hopes to land a mega-deal this winter as he explores his options in the free-agent market.

The former homegrown talent is the most coveted starting pitcher available and could land a blockbuster deal worth up to $245 million. With Max Fried and Blake Snell no longer on the market, Burnes's decision should be imminent.

It's still challenging to pinpoint where Burnes will sign but recent rumors indicate that an American League East foe of his former team, the Baltimore Orioles, could be his next landing spot.

"The (Toronto) Blue Jays, meanwhile, are looking to improve after a disappointing 74-88 regular season that saw them finish last in the AL East," Bleacher Report's Timothy Rapp wrote Thursday. "With the New York Yankees making a flurry of moves to offset the loss of Juan Soto and the Boston Red Sox being busy as well, the Blue Jays risk remaining at the bottom of the AL East. Adding Burnes—while hoping the core group returns to the form that saw it reach the playoffs three times in a four-year span between 2020-23—could help the Blue Jays keep pace in the competitive AL East."

The Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants are front-runners to land Burnes but with Toronto on the verge of having its team fall apart in a couple of seasons due to expiring contracts with star players, such as Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette, landing the former Brewers ace could be the front office's best chance at saving the franchise.

Other recent predictions have the championship-hungry Giants beating out the Blue Jays for Burnes, so it's too early to tell where he'll sign. One thing's for sure: it won't be with the team that drafted him.

More MLB: Ex-Brewers Ace Corbin Burnes 'Likely To Exceed' $218M Price Tag For Yankees Southpaw