4x All-Star ace aiming at $245,000,000 contract, per MLB insider

Corbin Burnes is one of the few free agents who are yet to sign with a team. The 2021 Cy Young winner along with Blake Snell and Max Fried were the most sought-after starting pitching options but with the latter two landing big-money deals, Burnes is also looking for astronomical figures.

As per Mark Feinsand writing for MLB.com, Corbin Burnes is looking to match or even go beyond the third-highest pitching contract in the history of the league. At $245 million, he would equal Stephen Strasburg who had signed a seven-year deal with the Washington Nationals.

"According to sources, Burnes is seeking a deal worth at least $245 million, which would match the seven-year, $245 million deal Stephen Strasburg signed in December 2019 as the third-highest guaranteed contract in history for a starting pitcher," Feinsand wrote.

Burnes' agent Scott Boras has also penned the highest-ever contract in the history of the sport with Juan Soto's record-setting $765 million, 15-year contract. Interestingly it was Boras who negotiated Strasburg's contract and was Gerrit Cole's agent when he signed the nine-year $324 million contract with the New York Yankees, one position above Strasburg in the all-time list.

With the Yankees having signed Fried and the Red Sox trading for Garret Crochet, the San Francisco Giants and the Toronto Blue Jays remain the major suitors. The Orioles would have liked to re-sign Corbin Burnes but they will surely be outmatched by the two big-market clubs.

Corbin Burnes to earn more through the offseason's domino effect

Corbin Burnes headed into the offseason with the heaviest price tag. The former Orioles ace was expected to earn a contract around the $200 million mark and more than Fried and Snell. But the Dodgers signing Snell to a five-year $182 million contract and Yankees signing Max Fried to an eight-year $218 million contract showed that teams are hungry to lock in their aces.

In comparison, Burnes is younger than the two at 30 years of age. But his more distinguishing factor is relatively no injury history. Both Snell and Fried had suffered a multiple-month hiatus at the start of the last two seasons. Burnes, meanwhile, has clocked in 199 starts since the 2018 season. Barring the shortened 2020 season, he has pitched at least 28 starts in all other seasons.