Corbin Burnes sees right through Ross Atkins and the Blue Jays front office

With Blake Snell and Max Fried off the list of top-tier free agent pitchers, it is Corbin Burnes turn to find a new home. Snell signed early, taking as much money as the Dodgers could give him, deferrals and all. Fried took advantage of the Yankees desperation. Having just lost Juan Soto, New York aimed to use that money elsewhere, and signed Fried to a contract above market value.

Burnes took a different approach. While agent Scott Boras has gotten himself into a pickle or two by waiting too long in the free-agent cycle and thus losing most of his leverage, that won't be the case with Burnes, an ace-level starter who could lead just about any rotation in MLB. Burnes has a CY Young to his name, and just last season finished with 3.4 WAR and a 2.92 ERA in 32 starts.

As far as we know, the favorites to land Burnes are the Blue Jays and San Francisco Giants. Toronto needs pitching desperately, while the Giants hope their addition of Willy Adames can help recruit former teammate Burnes. Thus far, the Giants are winning, but they are not alone. Per MLB Insider Jon Heyman, there is a mystery team in on Burnes as well – though he does not name said team.

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Corbin Burnes mystery team is a very bad sign for the Blue Jays

Predicting a mystery team is impossible and a rather useless exercise, but it impacts one team more than others.

As previously mentioned, the Blue Jays need to land a big fish, and soon. They whiffed on Juan Soto, Blake Snell and Max Fried. Burnes would be a suitable next target, but he's on the record saying he doesn't want to sign with a team just for the money, but the farm system and organizational strengths attached. Toronto has the capital to afford Burnes, but can Ross Atkins sell his vision?

In the Blue Jays division alone, the Red Sox and Orioles – Burnes former team – have been linked to the free-agent righty as well.

Atkins knows he's on the hot seat. Burnes and Boras surely do as well. Signing Burnes to a loaded contract sounds more like a last-second pitch to save Atkins job than a real building block. And it sure as hell won't make Vladimir Guerrero Jr. sign on the dotted line before next winter, either.