MLB Power Rankings: Corbin Burnes’ 4 best remaining suitors stacked against each other

Long-time ace Corbin Burnes is one of the most coveted MLB free agents left on the market this winter. With Roki Sasaki stealing much of the spotlight due to his talent and cheap contract, Burnes rivals him by being the most expensive player remaining.

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com mentioned that a Burnes contract will likely cost you $245 million when bidding wars finish. Speaking of potential bidders, let’s look at some power rankings for Burnes based on these four teams most linked to the Superstars sweepstakes. 

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4. Boston Red Sox

The Boston Red Sox have been mentioned as a key suitor, but It’s not surprising to see them listed as one of the two main favorites. After acquiring Garrett Crochet via trade and signing Walker Buehler to a one-year contract, the Red Sox are pretty set in their starting rotation. If they’re willing to allocate that much money to a player such as Burnes, it may be advisable that they instead spend that money to strengthen their bullpen or lineup. 

The team has already added Aroldis Chapman and Justin Wilson, but adding a right-handed reliever to close the door in the ninth for match-up purposes is ideal. Potential names like Kirby Yates, who had a monster 2024 season, make a ton of sense. On the offensive side, the Red Sox need a hitter after losing Tyler O’Neill to rival Baltimore. Teoscar Hernandez and the Los Angeles Dodgers are still apart regarding finances, so there’s room to swoop in. Anthony Santander is also a potential name to keep an eye on. Many would be surprised if the Red Sox took a real shot at landing Burnes. 

3. Baltimore Orioles

A team that has been somewhat frustrating for their fan base this winter is the Baltimore Orioles. With a willingness to spend from the owner, GM Mike Elias has little reason why, outside of Juan Soto, he hasn’t been able to land one of the pricier free agents this winter. Since Tyler O’Neill is the most expensive ticket O’s have spent on, more needs to be done since the team isn’t being handcuffed by financial restraint right now.  

I credit Elias for being one of the more brilliant minds in baseball. He knows how much a long-term contract like the one Burnes will receive can hinder a team down the road. Paying Burnes $30+ million 5-6 years from now when he may be on the decline is not something a team wants to be locked into, but it’s the price to pay in today’s game of baseball. The market is unavoidable. Living in yesterday’s version of the game will only leave you in the past. Especially if the owner is willing to spend, Elias must go for it here. Their playoff window is wide open. 

2. Toronto Blue Jays

At some point, you have to root for the Toronto Blue Jays to land a superstar to see it happen. Often connected to Burnes in free agency, especially recently, the Blue Jays’ willingness to form a team that competes within its division has not come to fruition. They have missed on multiple big names in the past, and missing on Soto was only the start of things this winter. Now, they will take a stab at Burnes to bolster one of the better rotations in baseball. 

They have the funds to pull it off, but to be taken seriously, they need to have a vision of how they will remain competitive. The best way to do that is to lock up Vladimir Guerrero Jr. and Bo Bichette long-term, an idea beginning to fizzle among the fan base. Without clear direction on how the team can contend, it will always be challenging to lure big names such as Burnes to Toronto. They must get deals done with their core to prove they are serious. 

1. San Francisco Giants

Currently listed as the favorite, the San Francisco Giants need this signing to go their way. The Los Angeles Dodgers have a stranglehold on the NL West, and adding Willy Adames to the Giants’ roster only scratches the surface in getting things back to an even keel. Adding Burnes gives the Giants a rotation consisting of Burnes, Logan Webb, and Robbie Ray. Without landing Burnes, it is unlikely that the Giants will play for much more than a Wild Card spot in 2025. Landing this key addition makes them as much of a powerhouse as any other team looking to find a way into the Postseason. 

If the Giants get lucky, the San Diego Padres will trade Dylan Cease and his one year of team control, which will only up their playoff odds. It’s hard to envision any team knocking the Dodgers off the top spot in the NL West right now, but the Giants can still do enough to make it to the playoffs. Landing Burnes, at the very least, can help them secure second place in the NL West, and if things trend the way they are now, that could be good enough. 

The NL Central is lackluster. I predict the only team that makes the postseason there will be the division winner. The Giants can still find a way in if three AL East teams make it between the Phillies, Braves, and Mets. If they can land somebody of Burnes’ caliber, it’s more than fair to say they are a bubble team at the very least.