The Los Angeles Dodgers’ $1 billion offseason last winter was a main driver toward winning the World Series this October. Could president of baseball operations Andrew Friedman flex the organization’s financial muscle again to land Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes via free agency?
FanGraphs’ Roster Resource shows a crowded Dodgers rotation, but it includes plenty of question marks. Yoshinobu Yamamoto is followed by Shohei Ohtani, who hasn’t pitched since undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. Tyler Glasnow, Tony Gonsolin and Dustin May all finished 2024 on the injured list, while Bobby Miller posted an 8.52 ERA in 56 innings.
Acquiring Burnes would give the Dodgers an ace who has proven he can take the ball every fifth day. The four-time All-Star has started at least 28 games each year since 2021, including 30-plus from 2022-24. His final year before reaching free agency included a 15-9 record with a 2.92 ERA, 1.10 WHIP and 181 strikeouts in 194 1/3 innings for the Orioles.
Burnes is the top starting pitcher available in free agency and should get a huge contract. The Athletic’s Tim Britton is projecting a seven-year, $217 million contract for the hurler. Could the Dodgers have an advantage in these sweepstakes? MLB.com’s Mark Feinsand thinks so. He listed 10 potential suitors for the ace and made an interesting point about Los Angeles being a fit.
“The fact that Burnes hails from Bakersfield — located 110 miles north of Dodger Stadium — could give Los Angeles an edge in its recruitment.”
Last winter proved we can’t discount the Dodgers for any high-priced free agents. This should especially be the case since that historic spending spree resulted in the club’s second championship since 2020. There will be plenty of competition for Burnes’ services, but it would be foolish to think the Dodgers can’t make this happen unless it’s clear they prefer going in a different direction.
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