Brewers Owner Trades Corbin Burnes Over Money, Says They’re Still Trying To Win

The Milwaukee Brewers won the National League Central Division in 2023 for the third time in the past six seasons. But as has become tradition around Brewers baseball, the organization took the opportunity to trade arguably its best player over money concerns. 

Corbin Burnes is now a member of the Baltimore Orioles after being shipped off for infield prospect Joey Ortiz, pitcher DL Hall and the 34th pick in the upcoming MLB draft.  

READ: Baltimore Orioles Sign Corbin Burnes In Move That Shows They're Not A Laughingstock Anymore

There's an argument to be made that the Brewers, in the abstract, did well to get more years of team control of young prospects, as well as a fairly high draft pick. But for a team that's ostensibly trying to defend its division title and go deeper into the postseason, there's just one obvious reason to trade a top-5 starter: his nearly $16 million salary in 2024.

Burnes is also set to become a free agent after the season, and the notoriously small market Brewers clearly had no intention of keeping him in Milwaukee for the long term. But don't tell team owner Mark Attansio that prioritizing dollars over talent means they aren't the favorites to win the division again.

"You know, I hesitate to say this,’’ Attanasio told USA Today, "but there was a team that was widely picked to win last year that finished 21 games behind us. And we finished nine games ahead of the Cubs last year.’’
 

MILWAUKEE - Corbin Burnes of the Milwaukee Brewers throws a pitch in the second inning against the Cincinnati Reds at American Family Field on August 24, 2021. (Photo by John Fisher/Getty Images)

Can Brewers Compete Without Corbin Burnes?

Attansio continued, saying he doesn't believe in rebuilding because he hates to lose.

"I hate to lose,’’ Attanasio said, "I really hate to lose ...

"I never imagined how hard this would be. But I made a commitment to always being competitive. And that's hard to do when sort of paradigm is to go all in to win and then rebuild. I never really wanted to rebuild.

"Everybody uses a euphemism to say that they're not trying. I always want to try so I don't want to use these euphemisms. And the problem is you don't know that you're going to win. Just because you take a step back doesn't mean you're going to take two steps forward. So we're always trying to move forward.’’

But how is it moving forward to trade some of your best players because you know you won't keep them long term? 

Burnes is a Cy Young winner, has three consecutive All-Star appearances, struck out more than 200 hitters each of the past three seasons and led MLB in WHIP in 2023. It's hard to make a compelling argument that the Brewers got better after moving him. Entering 2024, the team's rotation is now Wade Miley, Freddy Peralta, Joe Ross, Colin Rea, and Robert Gasser. Not exactly the game's most frightening combination of pitchers.

Luckily for Attansio, the NL Central is filled with small market teams, while the Chicago Cubs frequently act like one. And with so much mediocrity, it's anyone's division. Importantly though, the team's payroll is now an estimated $11 million less than it was in 2023. Maybe what he really hates to lose is extra profits or the opportunity to try and save money.