Burnes only wants to test free agency once: It's 'not a fun process'

Baltimore Orioles right-hander Corbin Burnes is expected to test free agency at the end of this season - and the hurler wants to make sure he only has to do it once.

"I've heard from a lot of guys that process is not a fun process," Burnes said, according to The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal. "I want to do it once, get as long a term deal as we can, get that security everyone is looking for."

Burnes is expected to be the top starting pitcher available next winter and should do well in free agency, even with his 2024 performance still undetermined.

The hurler, who understands this offseason has been strange for many reasons, doesn't appear to be interested in accepting short-term deals with opt-outs like Cody Bellinger and Matt Chapman have. Bellinger and Chapman are both represented by Burnes' agent Scott Boras.

Two other Boras clients, pitchers, Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery, are also unsigned after terrific 2023 campaigns.

"It's kind of been an abnormally slow offseason, but my focus is what I've got to do here for the next seven months to get to that point," Burnes said. "The way I look at it, if I go out and take care of business like I have the last three or four years, that will take care of itself."

Burnes is set to begin his first campaign with the Orioles after they acquired him in an offseason trade with the Milwaukee Brewers. The 29-year-old went 45-27 with a 3.26 ERA and 11.0 K/9 during his six seasons in Milwaukee, where he won the 2021 NL Cy Young award.