MLB Trade Rumors: Shane Bieber, Corbin Burnes Return Would Need to Be 'Astronomical'

MLB teams that hope to trade for a top-tier starting pitcher like the Cleveland Guardians' Shane Bieber or Milwaukee Brewers' Corbin Burnes reportedly face "astronomical" asking prices.

ESPN's Jeff Passan reported Thursday neither the Guardians nor Brewers are showing an "intent to deal," which could restrict those pushing to land an ace to a free-agent class led by Jacob deGrom, Carlos Rodón and Justin Verlander.

Bieber and Burnes are on the same contract track. They each have two years of arbitration remaining and can't become free agents until after the 2024 season. That puts little time pressure on their teams' front offices, so the lack of trade intent isn't a surprise.

Here's a look at how the standout right-handers performed in 2022:

• Bieber: 2.88 ERA, 1.04 WHIP, 198 K in 200 IP
• Burnes: 2.94 ERA, 0.97 WHIP, 243 K in 202 IP

Given those numbers, the contractual control and the fact that both Cleveland and Milwaukee are playoff contenders heading toward 2023, the chances of a blockbuster trade are remote.

In turn, the competition for the top starters on the free-agent market figures to become intense as World Series hopefuls attempt to bolster their rotations.

The good news for those clubs is plenty of talent is available in free agency, led by the trio of deGrom, Rodón and Verlander.

• DeGrom: 3.08 ERA, 0.75 WHIP, 102 K in 64.1 IP (New York Mets)
• Rodón: 2.88 ERA, 1.03 WHIP, 237 K in 178 IP (San Francisco Giants)
  
• Verlander: 1.75 ERA, 0.83 WHIP, 185 K in 175 IP (Houston Astros)

Passan listed deGrom (34 years old) and Rodón (29) among the free agents expected to receive contracts with a total value over $100 million.

Verlander, 39, is a different case because of his age, but he could attract a lucrative one-year contract from a team on the cusp of World Series contention, or from the Astros as they attempt to defend their championship next season.

While it's never cheap to add an ace, that's particularly true this offseason because the demand for elite starters far outweighs the supply on both the trade and free-agent markets.

The dominoes will begin to fall when free agency opens at 5 p.m. ET on Thursday.