ESPN: Yankees make a last minute move to trade Orioles favorite player before MLB deadline.

Should Corbin Burnes declare for free agency this winter, the Baltimore Orioles’ blockbuster deal for him may not seem as sweet. Were the New York Yankees able to force him to leave?

Exactly that was predicted by Bleacher Report’s Tyler Ward during a live webcast on August 4.

Ward stated, “To a certain extent, this season, Corbin Burnes has had tremendous success against the New York Yankees.” Thus, it makes sense that the Yankees, who have been interested in Burnes for the past 2.5 years, will be considering him once more during the winter.

Burnes is regarded as one of the top free agents accessible this winter. In his debut season with the Orioles, he is in the midst of another Cy Young-caliber campaign. He has pitched 143.2 innings, striking out 132 batters against just 34 walks.

Burnes was expected to sign an eight-year, $288 million contract with the Boston Red Sox, according to Ward’s colleague at Bleacher Report. In the event that they choose to “go all-out” for the starting righty, he raised the possibility of the Yankees being an alternative.

“There will be that much more of a window for other big spenders like the Mets, Rangers, and the pick here to actually sign him: the Red Sox,” Rymer wrote, “if neither the Yankees nor the Dodgers go all out for Burnes.”

In 2024, Burnes is 12-4 with a 2.63 ERA. He deserves every fat salary that free agency brings. However, expect Baltimore to present the 29-year-old with a strong offer. The next stage of the team’s comeback should be to reclaim a top free agent.

Burnes’ most recent performance of the season was his last. He pitched five innings against the Cleveland Guardians, giving up five runs on seven hits.

Josh Naylor hit a three-run home run as part of it. Burnes has only surrendered 16 home runs this season.

Just five pitchers have thrown 140 or more innings this season, according to Stathead. Only Logan Gilbert and Aaron Nola have surrendered more home run hits out of the group.

Orioles captain Brandon Hyde attributed Burnes’ slow start to the reality that he is only human.

On August 4, Hyde told reporters, “Well, I think he’s a human being.” Accordingly, he will occasionally have to leave a changeup there for Naylor. Simply made a poor decision

pitch there in a 2-0 position. Apart than that, though, it was fairly decent. He has good cutter, sinker, and curveball skills. He left a poor pitch for Naylor there after the team struggled and put the ball in play.

Thanks to two home runs each from Gunnar Henderson and Jackson Holliday, Baltimore won.