Corbin Burnes has reportedly chosen not to opt out of his contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Contract Details and Injury Setback
Following the 2024 season, Burnes agreed to a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks, which featured an opt-out clause following the 2026 campaign.
During the middle of the 2025 season, Burnes sustained a torn UCL and underwent Tommy John surgery. This injury sidelined him for nearly the entire 2026 season, limiting him to just 10.1 innings across three starts for Arizona. In those outings, he gave up nine runs, which included five home runs.
Background and Financial Security
Before joining the Baltimore Orioles ahead of the 2024 season in a trade that sent DL Hall and Joey Ortiz to the Milwaukee Brewers—where both players contributed to the Brewers’ championship team this season—Burnes earned the National League Cy Young Award with Milwaukee in 2021.
Burnes is locked in to receive $35 million annually for the 2027 through 2030 seasons. Out of that yearly amount, $11 million is deferred, bringing the contract’s luxury tax value down to $32.911 million per year. Accounting for his recent recovery from surgery and the uncertain landscape of the offseason labor market, passing on the opt-out option was a straightforward decision.
