Orioles ace Corbin Burnes leaves start early, but for a smart reason
By Scott Rogust
The Baltimore Orioles faced strong odds of winning the AL East in the final week of the season. but they took the first two games against the rival New York Yankees to help clinch a postseason berth for the second consecutive season. But on Thursday night, they were unable to fend off the Yankees' pursuit of the division, as they won 10-1.
It was a battle of the aces, as Corbin Burnes went head-to-head with Gerrit Cole in the series finale. Burnes looked strong, striking out nine Yankees batters. But in the sixth inning, Burnes was pulled by manager Brandon Hyde despite allowing just one hit in the entire game. Orioles fans initially thought Burnes had suffered an injury just ahead of the postseason, but that wasn't the case.
MLB Network's Jon Morosi revealed during the game that Burnes was pulled after throwing 69 pitches with the postseason in mind. As in, if the Orioles are to play in the Wild Card Round, that would be five days away. With that, they wanted to make sure Burnes wouldn't be overworked for the game.
.@jonmorosi with the latest on Corbin Burnes exiting tonight's #MLBNShowcase after allowing one run on two hits in five innings of work. pic.twitter.com/VvCUllKSoE
— MLB Network (@MLBNetwork) September 27, 2024
Orioles pull Corbin Burnes early with postseason in mind
It is a smart move for the Orioles to make sure their ace is ready to go for the postseason.
The postseason officially begins on Tuesday, Oct. 1. The Orioles, as of this writing, are going to be the No. 4 seed in the American League, by way of holding the top Wild Card spot. Behind them are the Kansas City Royals and Detroit Tigers, holding the final two spots with 85-74 records. Either way, the Orioles have a magic number of 1 to clinch the top Wild Card spot.
This season, Burnes has been exceptional for the Orioles, recording a 2.92 ERA, a 15-9 win-loss record, 181 strikeouts, and 48 walks in 194.1 innings (32 starts).
The Orioles may have lost the division, but they are in the postseason. They will have to play an extra series as a result, but they are getting ready to make sure they go on a longer run than last season. With Burnes ready to go, it's hard to doubt their chances.
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