MLB Free Agent Rumors: 2 Teams "Stand Above The Others" For Corbin Burnes

While most of the attention in this year's free agent sweepstakes is on superstar outfielder Juan Soto, we shouldn't ignore the heated battle that will also take place for former Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes.

The ex-Milwaukee Brewers and Baltimore Orioles ace will have a healthy market, and according to baseball insider Jon Morosi, two teams have emerged as the front runners.

.@jonmorosi says that the two teams that "stand above the others" for Corbin Burnes are the Orioles and Dodgers.

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"I think there are two teams that stand above the others, the Baltimore Orioles and Los Angeles Dodgers. But I was told by a source," adds Morosi, "that nothing is getting finalized just yet. He is still having broad interest around the major leagues."

Burnes spent the 2024 season with the Orioles, where he posted another elite season, going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and a 181:48 strikeout-to-walk ratio in 194 innings. If Baltimore loses him, they will have to replace him with another top-notch arm.

The Dodgers need some certainty in their rotation, with Jack Flaherty off to free agency himself, while Shohei Ohtani, Tyler Glasnow, Dustin May and Tony Gonsolin are all coming back from injuries, three of the four not pitching at all in 2024.

"But by no means is this only a two-team race," Morosi indicated.

Is it possible that Burnes will have to wait on how the Soto thing plays out before a team commits the money to him? Not so much, says Morosi.

"I don't look at there being as much overlap... The NY Mets are really one of the key drivers of the Soto market but they're not so much in on Burnes."