Record Pitcher Contract: Coffee Spill
Reds Pitcher Chase Burns Signs Record $105 Million Deal After Coffee Spill
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Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns has signed a $105 million, seven-year contract — but not before a cup of coffee almost ruined the moment. The paperwork was spilled on during the signing, forcing the team to bring out a fresh set of documents, according to Newsday.
Burns, just 23 years old, completed the deal fresh off his first All-Star Game selection. The contract is the largest guaranteed deal in the majors ever given to a pitcher with less than four years of service time, according to WDRB.
A Record Deal That Topped Everything Before It
Burns' $105 million deal does not just set a new record — it blows past the old one. The contract exceeds the previous high for a pitcher with one or more years of service time by 40%, according to Yakima Herald. That is a massive jump for a player who has only completed his first full season in the majors.
Reds president of baseball operations Nick Krall said the timing felt right. The team moved quickly to lock Burns up after his strong early career performance. Burns is now under contract through at least the next seven seasons.
The Coffee Spill That Almost Stopped a $105 Million Signing
The signing hit a brief and unusual snag. A cup of coffee was spilled directly on the contract paperwork, according to Daily Gazette. The incident happened just as Burns was set to put pen to paper in Denver.
The Reds quickly replaced the ruined documents. Burns signed the new copies without further incident. The moment gave the signing a memorable twist — and gave reporters a ready-made pun about Burns "spilling the beans" on his new deal, as noted by The Facts.
MLB Teams Are Racing to Lock Up Young Stars Early
The Burns deal is part of a growing trend across Major League Baseball. Teams are signing young players to long-term deals before those players hit free agency. The goal is to lock in star talent at a lower cost and keep rosters stable for years, according to The Star.
The St. Louis Cardinals recently followed the same playbook. They signed rookie second baseman JJ Wetherholt to an $112.5 million, eight-year deal. Wetherholt's contract is even larger than Burns' and shows just how aggressively teams are moving to secure young players before they earn leverage.
Who Is Chase Burns and Why Do the Reds Value Him So Highly
Burns is a right-handed pitcher who broke into the majors with the Reds. At just 23, he earned his first All-Star Game selection this season. That honor helped push the Reds to move fast on a long-term deal, according to Erie News Now.
The Reds are betting that Burns will be a cornerstone of their pitching staff for years to come. At $15 million per season on average, the team is paying top-tier money for a pitcher still early in his career. If Burns continues to develop, the Reds could have one of the best bargains in baseball.
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