Trading Burnes at the deadline if we are in the hunt for a playoff spot is going to be a PR disaster (as well as team chemistry suicide). The only way it makes sense to deal him then is if we are out of it.
Since we don't have a crystal ball, we don't know which it will be.
It makes sense to me to deal him in this off season if for no other reason than to avoid making the call at the deadline, especially if we are in 1st or within close striking distance.
If we are a game up or a game back, and we trade Burnes at the deadline, the fans will revolt! The players will cry, and we will have anarchy! You think what happened with Hader was bad, imagine trading Burnes, Adames and or Williams with the playoffs on the line again... Won't be pretty.
Surely everyone can see his, right?