Burnes discusses departure from O's: Money wasn't an issue

Former Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes shed some light on his negotiations with the team in free agency this past offseason.

Burnes spent one season in Baltimore before inking a six-year, $210-million contract with Arizona Diamondbacks in December. The former Cy Young winner hinted that Baltimore's final offer was for four years, with the potential to go up to five, putting it well short of what Burnes was seeking.

"I don't think the dollar amount was an issue because the dollars here (in Arizona) were more than what they were there (in Baltimore) in the offers. I just don't think that we necessarily matched up on the years that it was gonna take to kind of get to a dollar amount for me to stay there," Burnes told reporters ahead of his D-Backs facing the Orioles at Chase Field, according to Matt Weyrich of The Baltimore Sun.

"That was kind of one of the things that we were scratching our head at where they kind of got the years from," Burnes added, per Andy Kostka of the Baltimore Banner. "Not to say they wouldn't have jumped up at the end if things got a little more serious. But just kind of even going back and forth a couple times with them, they were kind of set on those years. But yeah, I'm not sure why."

Baltimore's final offer to Burnes was for $180 million over four years, a source told MASN's Roch Kubatko. Although less than the deal he signed with Arizona in money and term, the Orioles' offer had an average annual value of $45 million, which would have set a record for pitchers.

The Orioles acquired Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers in February 2024. He pitched well during his brief stay in the Charm City, finishing fifth in AL Cy Young voting after posting a 2.92 ERA and 1.10 WHIP over 32 starts. But when free agency came, Burnes - who lived in Arizona even before joining the D-Backs - was apparently ready to go home.

"I'm not sure any amount of money would have made much difference," Orioles owner David Rubenstein told the Baltimore Sun's Jacob Calvin Meyer last week about losing Burnes to the D-Backs. "We had an offer that, when you add it all up, was very competitive. We were prepared to put in the money necessary."

Burnes, who also reportedly received interest from the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays, said he never ruled out a return to Baltimore. He noted that the sides were in contact until very late in the game.

"No, we never told (Baltimore) that we weren't gonna go there," he said, per Weyrich. "I know (agent Scott Boras) was still in negotiations with them up until a couple days prior of us signing here. This deal here came together very quick, and so, yeah, they (the Orioles) were one of the teams that were still in consideration, that they were still kind of in negotiations with, that we haven't gotten to a point of kind of narrowing it down.

"But when the Diamondbacks came in, they came in hot and heavy, and like I said, we got it done in a matter of maybe 72 hours. It was quick."

Burnes, who is not scheduled to face his former team during this week's series, owns a 5.79 ERA with 11 strikeouts and seven walks through his first two starts with the D-Backs.