Orioles Ace Reveals One Thing He Wants in Next Contract

Corbin Burnes is a free agent after this season and knows what he’s looking for from his next contract.

Jun 16, 2024; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes (39) delivers a pitch against the Philadelphia Phillies during the first inning at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. / Gregory Fisher-USA TODAY Sports

Through the first three months of the season it’s safe to say the Baltimore Orioles have gotten what they were hoping for in the trade for Corbin Burnes.

Through his first 15 starts the right-hander is 8-2 with a 2.14 ERA with 89 strikeouts and 24 walks in 92.2 innings. In fact, Burnes has won five of his last seven starts as he prepares for his start this weekend.

The Orioles gave up pitcher DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz, along with a draft pick, to get Burnes, who is in the final year of his contract.

Right now Burnes is projected to be one of the top free agents this coming offseason. If he wins another Cy Young — which he did in 2021 with the Milwaukee Brewers — his value could only go up.

This week Burnes and Baltimore were in New York to face the Yankees, a series that pitted two of the best teams in the American League against one another. It was a potential postseason preview.

The New York Post interviewed Burnes, who didn’t pitch in the series, about a variety of topics, most notably where he wanted to pitch next season.

Burnes didn’t offer much in the way of specifics. But he did say there was one thing that he wanted out of his next deal, no matter where he lands — and it wasn’t about money.

“I want to go to a team that’s going to compete for the entirety of my contract,” he said.

That should give Orioles fans hope the team can retain him next season and beyond because Baltimore is built to be that team.

The Orioles have one of the best everyday lineups in the game, led by potential MVP candidate Gunnar Henderson and All-Star catcher Adley Rutschman. Along with quality veterans in the outfield like Anthony Santander, Austin Hays and Cedric Mullins, young players like Ryan Mountcastle and Colton Cowser are giving the O’s a quality boost offensively.

From there, Baltimore has one of the top farm systems in baseball, led by one of the top prospects in the game in Jackson Holliday.

The starting rotation is beat up and keeping Burnes long-term might be more of a priority than it was a few months ago. Tyler Wells and John Means are both on the 60-day injured list and out until next season.

Finally, the Orioles are under new ownership with Peter Rubenstein. The private equity billionaire hasn’t set specific spending priorities yet, but it stands to reason the Baltimore native want his team to win for the long term.

Spending the money on Burnes — who wants to be on a team that can do just that — would seem a logical solution for both parties.