It was reported on Sunday night per USA Today’s Bob Nightengale that the Milwaukee Brewers‘ ace Corbin Burnes wouldn’t be traded in this offseason, and many MLB teams have come to that conclusion.

Per Nightengale, the belief is that Burnes could be traded once the All-Star break and summer trade deadline rolls around.

Milwaukee Brewers’ Corbin Burnes Named a Top Trade Target

It’s no surprise that Corbin Burnes’ name has been thrown out in the trade discussions. After his arbitration didn’t go the way he wanted it to go, many thought that this would be Burnes’ last season with the Brewers and would be traded prior to the start of the 2024 season. However, no talks have been made in terms of the Brewers’ front office on trading away their ace.

Burnes has been a trade target for those needing some starting pitching such as the New York Yankees, San Francisco Giants, and even the Boston Red Sox, but nothing has come out of those talks.

Recently, the talk has been that the New York Mets could potentially look into acquiring Burnes next offseason. Per Will Sammon of The Athletic, he said that the Cy Young award winner could be an option for the Mets next year.

“Starting pitching is one commodity routinely available just for money in the offseason, and several good arms are slated to hit free agency next winter,” Sammon said. “Corbin Burnes is the headliner, but Max Fried, Walker Buehler, Shane Bieber, and Zack Wheeler could all be available. Talking with league sources the last couple of weeks, the Mets are aware that their prospect pool leans towards mid-rotation or back-end starters, and thus a significant external addition to their rotation sometime in the next two years is necessary.”

The ace went on Foul Territory back in December and said that he would need to have a mind-blowing contract offer to choose extension over free agency, even if a trade depended on his commitment.

“It’s one of those things that you’re waiting for that one offer, that one spark to figure out where you’re going to play.

“Every guy that gets close to free agency wants to test the market to kind of see what your true dollar amount is, kind of see what teams are really in on you,” Burnes said. “So it would have to be something that would just absolutely blow you away to kind of get you away from testing the free agent market.”

Over the last four seasons with Milwaukee, Burnes has a 31-22 record with an ERA of 2.86, 0.996 WHIP, 11.1 strikeouts per nine innings, and a 14.9 WAR. In 2023, he went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA, leading the NL with a 1.069 WHIP.

As it looks right now, Burnes will be staying in Milwaukee as the ace of their rotation. Now that Brandon Woodruff has been non-tendered, Burnes will likely start alongside Freddy Peralta and Wade Miley, who the Brewers just resigned to a one-year contract. 

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