6 teams that can match the Cy Young winner

Let’s be clear: everyone can do one Corbin Burnes – or three – in their starting rotation.

The right-hander has been perhaps the steadiest source of quality innings pitched over the past four innings, a stretch in which he won a National League Cy Young Award, made between 28 and 33 starts and topped the 190-inning mark three times.

And now he is available to every team.

After a trade to the Baltimore Orioles yielded another Cy Young-caliber season and a 2.92 ERA for the 90-win club, Burnes is the top prize on the free agent pitching market. And while every team is desperate for innings — and most teams can afford him — a few offer a good fit for the 6-foot-4, 30-year-old whose cut fastball remains one of the game’s toughest pitches to hit. complete.

A look at the best fits for Burnes:

Los Angeles Dodgers

The mandatory recording. One wonders if there was a greater significance to Burnes tweeting to the club’s account after the World Series title; it would stand to reason that the Bakersfield native wouldn’t mind plying his trade across the Grapevine and into Chavez Ravine.

Sure, the Dodgers can afford him, but it makes you wonder how they can prioritize and put Burnes in their stable. The expected 1-2-3 of Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Tyler Glasnow and a certain Shohei Ohtani is already raising concerns beyond Yamamoto. Is Glasnow past his elbow problems? Will Ohtani recover from second Tommy John surgery?

The questions just keep flying from there. Walker Buehler back? Clayton Kershaw viable for 25 starts on what could be his final ride? On the wounded but apparently recovered cavalry of Dustin May, Tony Gonsolin and the inconsistent Bobby Miller?

You can see how the Dodgers might be motivated to spend some of their funny money on Burnes.

Baltimore Orioles

The smoke signals are hanging: Yes, it looks like the Orioles are going to spend some money this winter.

With new owner David Rubenstein’s declaration that he won’t get any younger than super-agent Scott Boras’ plausible move at the GM meetings, Baltimore appears poised to break nearly two decades of largely sitting out the marquee free agent market .

Will the Orioles get any benefit from their position with Burnes?

With Boras as his agent, the dollar probably speaks the loudest. But Burnes pitched very well in Baltimore, his 2.92 ERA the lowest since a career-best 2.43 in his 2021 NL Cy Young campaign. His home runs per nine innings held steady at 1.0 and while his hits jumped to 7.6 per nine, giving up just 22 extra-base hits in 17 starts at Camden Yards.

The Orioles have replaced pitching director Chris Holt, but pitching coach Drew French is returning. GM Mike Elias has built an infrastructure that allows players to find their ceiling. In reality, the Orioles’ more realistic price on the market might be lefty Max Fried or lanky outfielder Teoscar Hernández.

But at least Burnes knows he pretty much realized the best version of himself in Baltimore.

New York Mets

Hey, the money should be good.

As much as baseball ops chief David Stearns wants to build sustainably and organically and all that, he knows what Burnes can bring to a pitching staff from their era in Milwaukee. And how dangerous it can be to develop young pitching. And how difficult can it be to win just enough against traveling veterans like Sean Manaea, Jose Quintana and Luis Severino to get into the playoffs with one game, as the Mets did last year.

With losing top prospect Christian Scott to shoulder surgery and nominal top prospect Kodai Senga after a 10-inning campaign (including playoffs), the Mets need innings and need to capitalize on Francisco Lindor’s prime years. Owner Steve Cohen should have some money left over after eating and drinking Juan Soto — and should be more motivated to spend top dollar on Burnes than traditional powerhouses like the Dodgers and Crosstown Yankees.

Detroit Tigers

No team was more fascinating from August 1 to the moment they were eliminated in a thrilling five-game AL Division Series. Now imagine how good they would be in a stretch drive and playoff run with a right-handed addition to Tarik Skubal.

While uncertainty on local television has threatened much of baseball’s upper middle class, the Tigers have just one major contract on the books: infielder Javy Baez’s $140 million pact expires after the 2027 season. No one expect the Tigers to spend the same way they did in the Mike Ilitch era, but there’s a ton of flexibility.

And while the club still has other needs – corner infield, for example – Comerica Park is still a great place to build around elite pitching and stout defense. Skubal, the presumptive AL Cy Young winner, and Burnes would give Detroit the AL’s best 1-2 pitching punch.

Burnes would also provide insurance against a possible departure of Skubal after two seasons and give Detroit the opportunity to go with the dominant left-handed agent – ​​which would also be Boras.

San Francisco giants

At some point, the Giants will realize that their attempt to lure elite hitters to the China Basin is nothing more than a Sisyphusian endeavor, with Bryce Harper, Aaron Judge, Giancarlo Stanton and Shohei Ohtani kicking the tires and saying, “No thanks “, over the past eight years.

So what can the Giants offer Burnes?

A chance to pair with Logan Webb and perhaps Blake Snell in the rotation. Gold Glove winners at third base (Matt Chapman) and behind the plate (Patrick Bailey). And for a club that has a relatively stable TV situation and suddenly has the entire Bay Area to itself, a lot of money.

Just like with the Tigers, this is about utilizing strengths and focusing on identity. Oracle Park is also the toughest place in the majors to hit a home runand only three parks are friendlier to pitchers overall. It seems like Burnes would be a perennial threat if he were to add another NL Cy Young trophy to his mantle.

Chicago Cubs

Of course, this assumes the Cubs want to be more than a mixed-use development that doubles as a baseball team.

But nothing less than signing Juan Soto would seriously signal to the Cubs that they want to win than adding a horse to their pitching staff, a right-handed answer to the dazzle and fortitude that Shota Imanaga and Justin Steele bring from the other side bring.

Considering their market size and revenue streams compared to their rivals in the NL Central, it’s almost embarrassing that the Cubs haven’t claimed the division title in a full season since 2017. Craig Counsell of Milwaukee hired to make a difference in the margins.

Stealing the Brewers’ old ace would be an even more tangible way to tilt the balance of power in their favor.

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This article originally appeared on USA TODAY: Corbin Burnes’ contract is the best fit: Cy Young ace is a top player in the MLB