The Brewers then traded Corbin Burnes later that same offseason, shipping him to the Baltimore Orioles ahead of 2024 Opening Day to avoid his impending free agency. Unfortunately, the status of "staff ace" in Milwaukee comes with a caveat: You're probably going to get traded before you reach free agency. That Burnes trade stung in the moment, but it was long expected to happen. The thing is, that Burnes trade wasn't the start of a new precedent—it was the continuation of it. The point is: The Brewers have made a habit of trading their best pitchers when free agency is on the horizon.