Rob Schumacher / Arizona Republic via Imagn Images

Former Cy Young Winner Makes Concerning Yankees Admission

Originally posted on Athlon Sports | By Zach Kaplan | Last updated Apr 14, 2025 8:35 AM ET

When Corbin Burnes entered free agency after a stellar 2024 offseason, he thought he knew where his value stood. Pitching to a 15-9 record and 2.92 ERA and finishing 5th in AL Cy Young votes, Burnes thought he'd earned at least a six to eight-year deal with the now-perennially competitive Baltimore Orioles.

When they offered him four years and $180 million, Burnes' camp was disappointed, as ballplayers enjoy some sense of stability and being able to call one city home for more than a couple years.

“If they really wanted me, they wouldn’t have offered me four years," Burnes said.

The 2021 National League Cy Young winner revealed a surprising detail in a recent interview with USA Today.

Burnes revealed that the New York Yankees didn't even offer him a contract, despite the team often being named as a top suitor for his services.

The Yankees did ink lefty Max Fried to an eight-year, $218 million deal, a deal which has so far paid off given the Yankees' early injuries to Gerrit Cole, Marcus Stroman and 2024 Rookie of the Year Luis Gil.

Burnes also stated that along with the Yankees, the New York Mets and Los Angeles Dodgers didn't offer him a contract.

“People think that you become a free agent and you’re going to have 30 teams calling you," Burnes said. “You get about three, four teams calling, and they take their time calling you."

It's a surprising admission, as few players offer a behind-the-scenes look at free agency, which generally creates the impression that players are often the auctioneers to their own future and considering several offers at once. However, a player as talented as Burnes getting so few calls after such a strong 2024 should call into question how cheaply owners can sometimes handle top free agents.

This article first appeared on Athlon Sports and was syndicated with permission.

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