The New York Mets have several vacancies to fill in their starting rotation. Key 2024 contributors like José Quintana, Luis Severino, and Sean Manaea are now free agents, leaving the Mets with opportunities to reinforce their pitching staff. President of Baseball Operations David Stearns could look to fill one of these roles with Baltimore Orioles ace, a dominant right-hander since 2020.
He has maintained an impressive 52-31 record, a 2.88 ERA, and a 1.02 WHIP over 816 2/3 innings. During this period, he’s earned four All-Star selections and four top-10 finishes in Cy Young Award voting. He won the award in 2021, leading the league with a 2.43 ERA across 167 innings while with the Milwaukee Brewers.
Stearns has been vocal about the Mets’ goal to add multiple pitchers to the rotation this offseason, and MLB Network Radio’s Jim Bowden reports that Burnes is the team’s top target. According to Bleacher Report’s Kerry Miller, the Mets could secure Burnes with a seven-year, $224 million contract.
Miller points out that Burnes has been durable throughout his career, having just turned 30 and logging over 190 innings in three consecutive seasons.
This track record makes him one of the most accomplished starters available since Gerrit Cole in 2019. Stearns, who previously worked with Burnes as the Brewers’ GM, may see this familiarity as an advantage in the Mets’ pursuit of him. Adding Burnes to the roster could give the Mets a formidable one-two punch alongside Kodai Senga at the top of their rotation.
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