The Milwaukee Brewers bowed out of the postseason in disappointing fashion, getting swept on their home field by the Arizona Diamondbacks, a team that won eight fewer games than them in the regular season. This felt like one of Milwaukee's better chances to make a deep run in October with the team they had, but they failed to even win a game.
A big reason the Brewers were a team so many people felt could make a run was because of their pitching. Corbin Burnes, of course, is the ace of their elite staff, and he had another awesome year.
In a perfect world, Milwaukee would try and make another push with Burnes leading the way, but the offseason has already gotten off to a rough start. Brandon Woodruff is expected to miss most if not the entire 2024 season due to injury, and Craig Counsell is a free agent taking interviews with other teams. On top of it all, Burnes is a free agent after the 2024 season and could ask for more money than the Brewers would be comfortable spending.
Because of all of the uncertainty surrounding the state of this Brewers team, Burnes is one of the pitchers listed in Bob Nightengale's recent article for USA Today that he believes will be available this offseason. It'd take a lot, but these teams should look to add him to their staff.
4. The Los Angeles Dodgers should make a run at a Corbin Burnes trade
After the Diamondbacks swept the Brewers, they promptly went up against their division rival Dodgers and swept them. The Dodgers failed to win a playoff game after winning 100 games in the regular season. The biggest reason why was their pitching.
Injuries really doomed them, but their trio of Clayton Kershaw, Bobby Miller, and Lance Lynn combined to allow 13 runs while recording just 14 outs. In other words, the Dodgers never had a chance because of how awful their starting pitching was. I mean, Lance Lynn allowed four home runs in a row!
Adding Corbin Burnes to this rotation gives them a surefire ace that they desperately need. They should be getting Walker Buehler back, but who knows how good he'll be after missing the entire 2023 season after undergoing Tommy John surgery. Clayton Kershaw might re-sign if he doesn't retire, but he's getting older and is extremely injury-prone. Guys like Bobby Miller, Ryan Pepiot, and Emmet Sheehan are young with potential, but very unproven.
The Dodgers are a team that has shown that they're willing to take a gamble acquiring a player with just one year of control, as they acquired Mookie Betts prior to the 2020 season. The Dodgers then wound up convincing Betts to extend. Burnes might not extend right away, but the Dodgers have just about everything anyone could want to offer them. Money, location, and a winner. They have the need and the prospect capital to get him.
3. The New York Mets should make a run at a Corbin Burnes trade
The 2023 season was an utter disaster for the New York Mets. There's just no other way to slice it. They entered the year with World Series aspirations and wound up being sellers at the trade deadline.
New York faltered from the start mainly because of their starting pitching. After trading both Max Scherzer and Justin Verlander at the deadline, the Mets starting staff is razor thin. They do have Kodai Senga who ascended into the Cy Young conversation in his first season with the Mets, and they also have Jose Quintana who is a nice mid-rotation arm, but after them, there's not much.
Adding Burnes to pair with Senga at the top of the rotation should help catapult the Mets right back into contention. The problem, of course, is the one year of control, but with Steve Cohen's wallet, the Mets shouldn't worry too much there.
New York now has David Stearns running the show. Stearns was with the Brewers before taking this Mets job, overseeing the entirety of Burnes' career. They also could very well sign Craig Counsell to be his manager. Both Stearns and Counsell know just how good Corbin Burnes is and whether Counsell comes or not, the Mets should make a very serious run at acquiring him.
2. The Boston Red Sox should make a run at a Corbin Burnes trade
The reason that the Boston Red Sox aren't considered a true contender right now is because their pitching is very lackluster. The Red Sox finished last in the AL East with a 78-84 record, and ranked 22nd in starting pitcher ERA.
Chris Sale is expected to play a role, but who knows how healthy or productive he'll be at this point. Brayan Bello had some nice stretches for Boston this past season, but is far from proven. The same can be said for guys like Kutter Crawford and Nick Pivetta. Boston lacks anything close to an ace. Burnes is one of the best players in baseball.
The Red Sox currently have one of the best farm systems in baseball, and also have some young major leaguers they can look to trade for pitching as well. Going after a guy like Burnes to really make this team a contender with the offense they have makes a lot of sense.
The Red Sox fired Chaim Bloom because the team wasn't winning enough. Bloom didn't acquire enough pitching. Burnes is the best pitcher available, and should be squarely on Craig Breslow's radar.
1. The Atlanta Braves should make a run at Corbin Burnes
The Atlanta Braves just won 107 games and looked like a juggernaut all year before losing for a second consecutive season in the NLDS to their division rivals in Philadelphia. Atlanta looks poised to right that wrong next season, but all of a sudden, their starting rotation leaves a lot to be desired.
Spencer Strider is awesome. A clear ace. Max Fried is also a true ace, and is always a trustworthy arm for Brian Snitker to turn to. You have to look really hard to find who else will be in Atlanta's Opening Day rotation if things stay as is.
Bryce Elder would likely factor in, but he finished so poorly after an all-star first half. A.J. Smith-Shawver has tons of potential, but he wasn't anything special in his chances in the majors this past season. Who's the fifth starter? Michael Soroka?
Adding Burnes gives Atlanta a three-headed monster of Strider, Fried, and Burnes. Both Fried and Burnes entering free agency after the year isn't a great situation to be in, but the Braves need to be doing what they can to try and win right now with the core that they have. Atlanta has superstars up and down their lineup in their primes. It'd be a shame to waste it because they wouldn't take a risk in a trade for a guy like Corbin Burnes.
