Corbin Burnes, a four-time All-Star, is set to join the Arizona Diamondbacks for the second consecutive offseason. According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, Burnes has reached a deal to sign a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks during the free agency period. This contract includes an opt-out clause after two years.

Burnes previously spent the 2024 season with the Baltimore Orioles, having been acquired from the Milwaukee Brewers just prior to the onset of spring training. The Orioles were in urgent need of a top-tier starting pitcher capable of bolstering their strong lineup of position players. Burnes significantly contributed to the team’s success, ranking seventh in the American League with 3.7 FanGraphs wins above replacement while amassing a 2.92 ERA and 181 strikeouts over 194.1 innings in 32 starts. Last season marked Burnes' fourth consecutive year earning an All-Star selection, where he took the mound as the starting pitcher for the American League, facing off against Pittsburgh Pirates standout Paul Skenes of the National League.

Despite his impressive track record, potential concerns loom regarding Burnes' strikeout rates, which have consistently declined over the past four seasons. After achieving a career-high rate of 13.3 strikeouts per nine innings during the shortened 2020 season, Burnes' strikeout rates transitioned to 12.6, then to 10.8, 9.3, and finally to 8.4 in subsequent years. However, this decline should not lead to assumptions of diminishing performance, as he maintained standings within the 80th percentile or better in several key metrics, including average exit velocity, chase percentage, walk percentage, hard-hit percentage, and groundball percentage last season. At just 30 years of age, Burnes remains in the prime of his career, presenting the Diamondbacks with a formidable asset as they secure the top free-agent starting pitcher available, capable of delivering strong performances in crucial playoff games.