Corbin Burnes DVOA, Advanced Stats, & Fantasy Rankings

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes is fitting right in with his new team this spring. The 30-year-old has pitched 13 1/3 innings in Cactus League play and has compiled a 1.35 ERA, a 0.98 WHIP, and a 32.7% strikeout rate. While spring sample sizes may not mean much and veterans like Burnes may use their spring outings to work on aspects of their game regardless of outcome, these numbers are never-the-less encouraging. Burnes' strikeout numbers are particularly encouraging for fantasy managers, as his strikeout rate has steadily declined from 2021 on. He was still a high-end fantasy pitcher last season, going 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA, a 1.10 WHIP, and a 23.1% strikeout rate in 32 starts and 194 1/3 IP. He offers a high innings floor and strong ERA and WHIP, but a strikeout boost closer to his 28.8% career mark could tip the fantasy scales even more in his favor.

Arizona Diamondbacks starting pitcher Corbin Burnes is expected to start the team's first spring training game on Friday against the Colorado Rockies. The right-hander is slated to pitch just one inning of work. Burnes was one of the top free agents in the open market and signed a massive six-year $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks earlier in the offseason. Last season in Baltimore, Burnes posted a 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 194 1/3 innings. He tallied strikeouts at a modest 23.1 percent rate but showed strong command with a 6.7 percent walk rate. The right-hander also generated an elite 31.6 percent hard-hit rate and 48.8 percent ground-ball rate, which were both well above the average marks. Given his high workload, fantasy managers should view Burnes as a high-floor SP1 in all formats.

According to Jon Heyman of the New York Post, right-handed pitcher Corbin Burnes turned down more money per year from other suitors when he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier on Saturday. Heyman mentions that the San Francisco Giants and Toronto Blue Jays offered Burnes larger contracts than Arizona. However, Burnes opted to sign with the Diamondbacks due to a lower state tax and family arrangements. The 30-year-old pitcher ended up agreeing to a six-year deal worth $210 million with the Diamondbacks that includes an opt out after two seasons. Last summer in Baltimore, Burnes posted a strong 2.92 ERA and a 1.10 WHIP across 194 1/3 innings of work. Despite seeing his strikeout production drop, Burnes remains a high-end starting pitcher heading into 2025 given his stable ratios and ability to make over 30 starts each season.