On Friday, the Brewers came to terms with 10 arbitration players on contracts for the 2023 season. Missing from that list was star pitcher Corbin Burnes. Jon Heyman reported that the Brewers filed at $10.01MM and Burnes $10.75MM. Here is what Matt Arnold had to say regarding the contract negotiations.
“Look, we’re still open to having conversations. Corbin is a super-talented player, and it’s a unique case, right? There are very relevant comparables for him on both sides of the ledger that make sense, and it’s really just part of the process. We certainly don’t want anyone to take any of these negotiations personally. We love these guys like crazy.”
Corbin Burnes files at 10.75M, Brewers at 10.01M
— Jon Heyman (@JonHeyman) January 14, 2023
MLB trade rumors had Burnes projected to earn $11.4MM in arbitration. Burnes asked for less money than teammate Brandon Woodruff received ($10.8MM) and the Brewers offered just a hair over $10.00MM. Arbitration hearings have the reputation of not being pleasant for either side, so from the outside looking in it seems like an easy solution would be for the Brewers to meet Burnes’ asking price given the fact he will likely largely outplay the salary he asked for.
What is the next step for Burnes and the Brewers?
The two sides can continue negotiating. Arbitration hearings typically take place in the middle of February, so hopefully the Brewers and Burnes can come to terms before that. If they do not, a court hearing will take place in order to determine his salary for the 2023 season.
Another possibility is that Burnes and the Brewers could agree on a contract extension. This would help secure Burnes up for the foreseeable future and prevent having to go through this process again. A Burnes extension may seem like a pipe dream, but it is not impossible.
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1 Comment
Pay the man