As we inch closer and closer to the 2023 MLB trade deadline, the rumor mill is beginning to churn and potential trade targets/packages are being thrown together.
This year’s Milwaukee Brewers are a team that’s going to be heavily featured in the rumors this season, but it’s still not fully determined whether they will be more active as buyers or as sellers. With a 34-34 record, the Crew sits in second place in the NL Central, so they are not technically anywhere close to out of it, but there are a ton of tradeable assets on the 26-man active roster, so this thing could truly go either way.
One of those assets is none other than 2021 Cy Young winner Corbin Burnes. Burnes, 28, continues to pitch well and is still to be viewed as one of the better starting pitchers in the National League. The right-hander has made 14 starts this year and is 5-4 with a 3.44 ERA and 125 ERA+.
In an article published by MLB.com, a handful of writers threw some ideas out there surrounding some of the most coveted players at this year’s deadline and found some “ideal trade deadline fits” for them. Burnes was included in this list.
Writer Thomas Harrigan made the bold prediction that Burnes and the Arizona Diamondbacks are a match made in heaven.
MLB writers predicts Brewers-Diamondbacks trade surrounding Corbin Burnes
Harrigan says that this is primarily because of the Diamondbacks’ need for additional rotation help, as there are no solid options behind Merrill Kelly and Zac Gallen atop their rotation. This logic makes sense, but the fact that he believes Burnes is good as gone is a ludicrous assumption. He uses the fact that the club traded Josh Hader away last year as why the Brewers could do the same with Burnes.
The difference between the two scenarios is that Burnes would warrant a bigger package than Hader did, but there’s also an automatic lower chance he’s moved because of all of the clubhouse disarray Hader’s trade caused last year. The in-house struggles were well-documented at the time, and it’s no coincidence that the Brewers began to nose dive in the standings once the relief ace was moved. So, why would the front office do it again and trade away their top starting pitcher?
Even though some of the stats on Burnes’ baseball card will tell you that he’s declining from his 2020-2022 numbers, it doesn’t mean that his value is lowered. Through and through, he remains one of the top arms that are included in trade rumors. This is without mentioning his team control, which is another aspect that will automatically improve his value. As of right now, he is not set to become a free agent until the conclusion of next season, so he is not a mere “second-half rental” like many trade deadline pieces are.
Such a move with the Diamondbacks is not impossible, but Burnes being moved period just does not feel likely. He remains the anchor of this pitching staff and is one of the most popular players on the roster amongst the fans. While the Brewers are surely frustrated with their .500 record, ditching their staff ace doesn’t feel like a move that should be made. If he is shipped out, it’s easy to see how the club would lose the faith of the fanbase that had a difficult enough time moving on after the Hader deal last year.
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