Corbin Burnes knew what he was getting into when he signed with the Arizona Diamondbacks. A massive contract, a fresh start, and a team eager to take the next step awaited him. His wishes were getting fulfilled; he had joined a team that he felt was “built to win baseball games and win in the postseason“. But there’s one thing he probably wishes came with the deal—an assured way to avoid the Los Angeles Dodgers.

30-year-old Burnes has pitched against plenty of tough lineups in his career, but facing the Dodgers multiple times a season as a division rival? That’s a different challenge. The Dodgers aren’t just good—they’re relentless. They win, they reload, and they make sure everyone knows they aren’t going anywhere. For Burnes, that’s both impressive and, well, frustrating.

“As a player that wants everyone in this game to make as much money as they can, you want teams like that,” Burnes told USA Today’s Bob Nightingale. “They go out and win. They make money, and then they turn around and give it to their players.” That’s high praise coming from a guy who just signed the biggest contract in Diamondbacks history—a six-year, $210 million deal. But Burnes understands the importance of front offices that invest in their teams, and he recognizes that the Dodgers set the standard. It’s the kind of organization that every player wants to see—except, maybe, when it’s standing in their way.

And make no mistake, the Dodgers are very much in the way. After winning the 2024 World Series, they didn’t sit back. They went on a spending spree, throwing over $450 million at talent to ensure they stay at the top. Shohei Ohtani, Yoshinobu Yamamoto, Teoscar Hernández, Tyler Glasnow—the list of stars they added is almost unfair.

Burnes and the Diamondbacks aren’t intimidated, though. They proved last October that they can take down L.A., sweeping the Dodgers in the NLDS. The Burnes signing is proof that Arizona believes it can do more than just compete—it can win. Still, Burnes knows that knocking off the Dodgers won’t be easy. Even after all the Diamondbacks’ improvements, L.A. looms large. And while he respects what they’ve built, he wouldn’t mind a little distance. “So, it’s good to see,” he admitted. “I just wish they weren’t in our division.” Spoken like a guy who knows exactly what kind of monster he’s up against.

Can the Corbin Burns’ Diamondbacks break through this season?

Arizona has shown flashes of being a serious contender. Their 2023 postseason run, which included knocking the Dodgers out in the NLDS, proved they could go toe-to-toe with baseball’s best. But turning that into sustained, bankable success is another challenge entirely. The Dodgers have been a juggernaut for over a decade, and they’re not slowing down.

Burnes gives the Diamondbacks a fighting chance, but he alone can’t close the gap. Arizona needs its young stars—Corbin Carroll, Gabriel Moreno, and Jordan Lawlar—to take another step forward and establish what they’re capable of. They need their bullpen to hold up in big moments. And most importantly, they need to prove they can win consistently over 162 games, not just in October.

So for now, the Dodgers remain the gold standard. But if the Diamondbacks can build on last year’s momentum, they just might have what it takes to finally break through and contend on the ultimate stages.