MLB: Baltimore Orioles at Tampa Bay Rays – Source: Imagn

Much has been said about Corbin Burnes’ surprising $210 million move to the Arizona Diamondbacks. The former Cy Young winner was reportedly being courted by bigger market teams but chose to sign with the gritty D’backs squad.

In Monday’s episode of the “Baseball Isn’t Boring” podcast hosted by Rob Bradford, Diamondbacks assistant general manager Amiel Sawdeye sounded off on the process of how the team managed to snag one of the most sought-after free agents this offseason.

“Our owner Ken Kendrick’s commitments to winning is so intense,” Sawdeye said (9:10). “He asked what the price was going to be and we’ll be doing ourselves a disservice with a player who wants to come [to Arizona] and more importantly, lives here.

“Anytime we can use Arizona to our advantage as a good place to play in and stay as a family due to its good weather and accessibility to other necessities, that’s a huge thing for players.”

Sawdeye also lightly discussed how Christmas is a tough time for MLB players in terms of contract negotiations, saying:

“Christmas is a finicky time for players because everybody wants to know where they’re going to play next and family members ask what jersey should they buy.”

Finally, the Diamondbacks assistant manager shared that with the help of their owner, they knew that Corbin Burnes was a lock-in.

“We’re fortunate that Ken [Kendrick] really pushed the chips and wants to win as we’re in a division wherein players like Corbin Burnes are needed in order to beat teams like the Dodgers and the Padres,” Sawdeye said. “We want to put the best team on the field and we want to get the best players.”

The match was made in heaven as Burnes happened to own a house within the Phoenix area and emphasized staying close to his family. The two sides finally formalized the deal on Dec. 30, as the former Cy Young winner inked a six-year, $210 million contract with the Diamondbacks.

Diamondbacks Gold Glover heads to Space City

In a surprising twist, the Arizona Diamondbacks let three-time Gold Glove first baseman Christian Walker walk away. Walker signed a three-year, $60 million deal with the Houston Astros, who are trying to regain their dominance in the American League.

Fans and neutrals alike echoed the sentiment that the move was reminiscent of when the team let go of another star first baseman, Paul Goldschmidt. Goldy would then reach new heights and be named the 2022 NL MVP with the St. Louis Cardinals.

As for Walker, he finished his career in the desert with a slash line of .251/.331/.464 with and OPS of .795.