Corbin Burnes Trade Rumors: San Diego Padres interested in acquiring Brewers' pitcher

The San Diego Padres have shown interest in acquiring Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes. They are looking to move on from Juan Soto this winter to cut down on payroll and have some holes to fill in the rotation.

Blake Snell, Seth Lugo, and Michael Wacha are all free agents, and there is not much hope in re-signing any of the three. Nick Martinez was also a free agent but was recently picked up by the Cincinnati Reds earlier in the week.

San Diego needs an established starter to support Yu Darvish and Joe Musgrove. Corbin Burnes, who is a former Cy Young Award winner, would provide a massive boost to the team's questionable rotation.

However, it is not clear if the Brewers are looking to part ways with Burnes this winter. They non-tendered Brandon Woodruff, who is expected to miss the 2024 season due to a shoulder injury.

If the Padres do not sign Corbin Burnes, look for them to turn their attention to other frontline starting pitchers

Wild Card Series - Arizona Diamondbacks vs. Milwaukee Brewers - Game One

Corbin Burnes is certainly a top-starting pitcher in the league. He started 32 games last season, compiling a 10-8 record with a 3.39 ERA and 200 strikeouts on 193.2 innings pitched. The Padres would like to have that at their disposal, but the Brewers could decide to keep him for the last year of his contract.

If that is the case, expect the Padres to pivot. They have already had talks with the Toronto Blue Jays about a potential Juan Soto trade. Toronto's top-rated prospect, LHP Ricky Tiedemann, could excite the Padres.

As for the open market, there is a deep list of impactful starters San Diego could target. The Padres cannot go into the 2024 season without addressing their pitching rotation.