8 Free Agents Red Sox Need to Target This Offseason

2. Corbin Burnes

Burnes, the 2021 National League Cy Young Award Winner, will hit free agency for the first time in his career this offseason. The 30-year-old has established himself as an ace and one of the most consistent pitchers in baseball, and will undoubtedly be looking for a contract that values him as such.

Burnes is on track to finish top-10 in Cy Young voting for the fifth consecutive season after a season in which he went 15-9 with a 2.92 ERA and 8.4 strikeouts per nine innings for the Baltimore Orioles. Burnes spent the first six seasons of his career with the Milwaukee Brewers before the Orioles traded for him last offseason.

On Nov. 4, the Orioles extended a one-year, $21.05 million qualifying offer to Burnes. The hurler is expected to decline the offer, but Baltimore's decision to qualify him means should another team sign him, that team would owe the O's draft pick compensation. Given Burnes' pedigree and Boston's deep farm system, Craig Breslow should be willing to make that sacrifice.

Burnes is about as steady as they come, although his K/9 numbers have slightly dipped and his WHIP has increased over the last three seasons. The Red Sox need a bonafide ace in the vein of Josh Beckett, Jon Lester, and Chris Sale. Burnes could be that guy.

One MLB executive has projected Burnes' contract "in the range of six years and at least $175 million". MLB.com lists the Orioles, New York Mets, and Red Sox as three potential fits for the former Cy Young winner.