The Yankees were in talks to acquire Brewers ace Corbin Burnes, but the inclusion of a prospect was reportedly a deal-breaker for New York.
SNY’s Andy Martino reported that the Yankees were in on Burnes during Tuesday’s Baseball Night in New York but the ask was “too much” for the Bombers.
“They did try to get Corbin Burnes," Martino said. "I know they were disappointed that they didn’t."
The New York Post’s Jon Heyman recently spoke about Burnes and said that Milwaukee wanted Spencer Jones, one of the Yankees' top prospects.
“The Yankees were certainly in on Burnes. My understanding is that Milwaukee, like the White Sox, wanted Spencer Jones,” Heyman said. “People love Spencer Jones… Jones, I think, was a key for the Yankees and they didn’t want to give him up.”
Martino also reported that before the Yankees and Brewers could re-engage in a possible deal, the right-hander was acquired by the Orioles.
The Orioles traded left-hander DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and the 34th pick in the 2024 draft for the ace on Feb. 1.
While the move had manager Aaron Boone admit that it could be a “bit of a problem” to his team, many projected standings see the Yankees wrestling the American League East from Baltimore while the upstart Orioles finishing in the middle of the pack.
Jones, who will play for the Yankees during spring training as a non-roster invitee, is not expected to arrive in the majors this season but is highly regarded in the industry as one of the top prospects in all of baseball.
In 2023, the young outfielder slashed .267/.336/.444 with 16 homers between High-A and Double-A.