After the Arizona Diamondbacks took on the Chicago Cubs in a four-game set over the weekend, there was one glaring question: Where is Corbin Burnes? The ace hurler was signed to a six-year, $210 million contract this past offseason, and although fully healthy, didn't appear in any game against the Cubs to begin the year.
"Rival executives are shaking their heads over the Diamondbacks’ lack of communication with $210 million pitcher Corbin Burnes. The D-backs were the last team to name an opening-day starter, and when manager Torey Lovullo chose Zac Gallen over Burnes, they were unaware that Burnes is meticulous in his preparation, and had no interest in having two extra days’ rest and starting the second game of the season."
Per Bob Nightengale's piece at USA Today, he mentioned that this is just a confusing situation on the D-Bac's' front offices' behalf. It makes zero sense not to start one of the best pitchers in the league, and although Zac Gallen is a fantastic pitcher in his own right, it seems this wasn't the best way to start Burnes' tenure in Arizona.
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Not using Corbin Burnes against Chicago may have cost a series win
In the opening series against the Chicago Cubs, Diamondbacks pitching allowed 21 runs in the four-game set. At just over five runs per game, that is not a recipe for long-term success. Thankfully, the Diamondbacks' offense clicked the way it did, or they would have suffered a series loss to begin the year. Thankful to walk out of the series with a tie. What could have been if the team had used Burnes correctly in game one and then Gallen in game two?
Not having your brand new $200 million+ ace take the mound in the first series of the year is poor management, and you're sacrificing wins the less you hand him the ball. Yes, it's early in the year, but for perspective, the Diamondbacks missed a Wild Card by one game last season, so I disagree with a narrative that it being early means anything. Every game counts, and when you potentially cost yourself a game, you look back at the year at times like this and think, "If only..."