Corbin Burnes sets MLB record for most strikeouts without a walk to start season
Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Corbin Burnes has made history to start the season.
Corbin Burnes has put himself in the Cy Young conversation to start 2021.
Burnes struck out the side in the third inning against the San Diego Padres Tuesday night, giving him 36 strikeouts with zero walks on the season — an MLB record to start a year.
He added four more strikeouts after breaking the record Tuesday night, giving him 40 on the season without a walk. Burnes now sits 11 behind Kenley Jansen’s all-time strikeouts without a walk record, according to The Athletic.
The historic outing was part of a 6-0 win over the Padres, moving the Brewers to 10-7 and within a game of the NL Central-leading Cincinnati Reds. In 24.1 innings pitched, Burnes has a 2-1 record with a minuscule .37 ERA. To say the start to the season for the Brewers young hurler has been impressive would be an understatement.
#Brewers Corbin Burnes whiffs all three batters in the third inning and has 36 for the season with no walks, an all-time record for a starting pitcher. He passes Adam Wainwright, who had 35 in 2013. A bit of history there.
— Tom (@Haudricourt) April 21, 2021
Corbin Burnes is off to a record-setting year for the Brewers
What’s made Burnes so effective this season you ask? A new and improved cutter that he is throwing around 50 percent of the time this season. This nasty cutter clocks in at over 96 mph, according to Fangraphs.
Brewers outfielder Billy McKinney was asked by reporters after Tuesday night’s win on what his approach would be when facing Burnes: “Hope he throws me four balls,” he said. Not likely to happen anytime soon, Mr. McKinney.
Burnes has always shown plenty of potential, putting up solid numbers during his time in the minor leagues. However, once he reached the big leagues, Burnes found himself pitching out of the bullpen and trying to find a spot in the starting rotation. But after his 4-1 season in 2020, the Brewers coaching staff had high expectations for 2021. It’s early but Burnes has certainly exceeded those.
When Burnes was asked about the record Tuesday night, he said it’s definitely on his mind.
“I think I’ll take the rest of the night to kind of reflect on it,” he said. “You know, I’ve heard it from everyone in the clubhouse, so it’s kind of hard to escape it right now. So, tonight we’ll kind of reflect on it and enjoy it, and kind of celebrate a little bit tonight, but then we’re back at it tomorrow.”
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