In the days and weeks after Corbin Burnes signed his six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks, there was a variety of conflicting reports about just how involved the Orioles were in the process. Were they serious, competitive bidders? Were they engaged to the end? Reporting and statements from Burnes offered some contradictory suggestions without anyone ever putting numbers on whatever offer the Orioles made. MASN’s Roch Kubatko reported last night, with other local reporters confirming, that the Orioles went to a bid of four years, $180 million to sign Burnes.
That’s a stunning amount of money from what has otherwise been a conservative and largely risk-averse front office when it comes to making free agent signings, particularly where pitchers are involved.