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This winter, the Brewers showed no willingness to trade ace Corbin Burnes. Yet after upsetting the right-hander via the arbitration process (in a case that appeared to be a foregone conclusion for them, but turned out to be a shocking, absurd victory for them), one must question whether they have long-term ambitions for him.
The Brewers have been hurt harder than most teams by the pandemic due to their relatively poor television contract and reliance on gate receipts. But, it seems unlikely that they would risk upsetting their best pitcher, as they reportedly have, if they were preparing to extend his contract.
Burnes’ case is evidence that arbitration is a bitter procedure. It makes little sense that he lost, as he deserved the exact same $455k raise Shane Bieber received after a nearly identical season (both finished seventh in Cy Young voting), which would have put him beyond the midway between the $10.01 million he received and the $10.75 million he sought. And it makes even less sense for the Brewers to choose saving a few hundred dollars over retaining their ace pitcher.
Burnes told Brewers reporters in Arizona, “There is no denying that the relationship has been severely damaged by the events.” You discover your genuine worth within the organization.
Yuli Gurriel, a free agent, has informed people that he wants a guaranteed contract. Therefore he may choose to wait it out. Anibal Sanchez is also hoping for a guaranteed contract. …
Possible destinations for Zack Britton include the Dodgers, the Angels, and the Rangers. The Mets, Giants, and Cubs have also been linked to Britton for quite some time. …
Bryan Reynolds informed reporters in Pirates camp that he is still willing to negotiate a deal, and the Pirates are poised to make another attempt this spring. According to reports, the Pirates offered around $76 million over six years (with no club options). But, his side referenced Matt Olson’s ($168M) contract as a parallel and demanded nine figures. After Reynolds requested a trade, the Pirates discussed possible trades with other teams, but they chose to extend him.
»Behind the divide between the Brewers and Corbin Burnes, after their arbitration dispute«