The situation has calmed down, and He may be joining the Arizona Diamondbacks for the next six years. The San Francisco Giants were among the teams interested in Him, being one of the few to present a formal offer, as mentioned during his introductory press conference.
SF Giants one of few teams to make a concrete offer to Cy Young winner
Burnes revealed today that only the Giants and Toronto Blue Jays made serious offers before he agreed to a six-year, $210 million deal with the Diamondbacks, which includes an opt-out after the second year. His agent, Scott Boras, also mentioned that Burnes declined larger offers from other teams.
There was some initial confusion regarding the Giants’ offer when Burnes signed. One report suggested that the Giants made a higher offer, but Burnes declined it due to California’s high tax rate. However, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle quickly debunked this claim, stating that the Giants did not offer more than the Diamondbacks. It’s now thought that the Blue Jays likely made the larger offer.
Throughout the offseason, it seemed like the Giants would be a good fit for Burnes, considering he grew up in California and went to Saint Mary’s College in the North Bay. Additionally, the Giants were in need of a reliable starting pitcher like Burnes.
However, geography played a role as well—Burnes has a home in Phoenix, Arizona, so he gets to stay close to home during the offseason and when not traveling with the team. Not every player has that luxury.
At this point, the conversation is largely irrelevant. The Giants have moved on and signed veteran Justin Verlander to a one-year, $15 million deal. Verlander, entering his 20th season, is coming off a down year with a 5.48 ERA in 17 starts due to neck and shoulder injuries.
The Giants are now focusing on their young pitching depth for 2025 and are likely done adding to the rotation. It’s fun to imagine what a rotation featuring Burnes alongside Logan Webb could’ve looked like.
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