Corbin Burnes 2nd Half Struggles Add More Issues For Baltimore

The Baltimore Orioles pitching already has plenty of questions surrounding it. Early in the season, starters Kyle Bradish, John Means, and Tyler Wells were lost for the year due to injuries. Cole Irvin, Dean Kremer, and Cade Povich are all having poor seasons. Trade deadline acquisition Trever Rogers struggled so badly that he was sent down to the minors. However, the most unpleasant surprise has been how much ace Corbin Burnes has struggled since the all-star break.

A Dominant First Half

During half of the season, Corbin Burnes was one of the most dominant pitchers in baseball. He compiled a record of 9-4 with an ERA of 2.43, 110 strikeouts, and a 1.04 WHIP. He also had a strikeout rate of 23.3% compared to a 5.3% walk rate. Compared to the starters around him, Burnes was essentially carrying the starting rotation for the entire first half of the season. For his efforts, the 29-year-old was selected to his fourth straight all-star game. Given how his season was going, some were expecting him to win another Cy Young award. However, since the break ended, Burnes hasn’t been the same.

Corbin Burnes Hasn’t Been The Same Since After The Break

Corbin Burnes hasn’t been the same starting pitcher in the second half of the season. He’s made eight starts and gone 3-3 with an ERA of 5.32, 40 strikeouts, and a 1.34 WHIP. His strikeout rate has slightly decreased to 20% while Burnes’s walk rate has somewhat increased to 7.5%. In three of his starts in the second half, Corbin Burnes has given up four earned runs or more. The month of August has been ugly for him as he’s gone 1-3 with an ERA of 7.36. This isn’t what the Orioles expected when games become more meaningful.

His Struggles Present A Nightmare Scenario For Baltimore

The Baltimore Orioles already have enough issues with their starting rotation. Due to injuries, Kyle Bradish, Tyler Wells, and John Means were all lost for the season. Trade acquisition Trevor Rogers put up an ERA of 7.11 in four starts before being sent down to the minors. Cole Irvin, Dean Kremer, and Cade Povich have all struggled and combined for an ERA of 4.87. It must be only a matter of time until the clock strikes midnight on Albert Suarez’s Cinderella story. Grayson Rodriguez has had an up-and-down season, is on the injured list, and won’t return until mid-September. Baltimore’s other trade acquisition Zach Eflin is also on the injured list. Given all the uncertainty surrounding the Orioles’ starting rotation, the team can’t afford to have Corbin Burnes struggling as well.

If Burnes Continues To Struggle, The Orioles Are Doomed

Since having a dominant first half of the season, Corbin Burnes has struggled since after the break. August has been a month to forget for Burnes. The Orioles have enough problems in their starting rotation and Corbin Burnes’s struggles only turn those issues into nightmares. Outside of Burnes and Zach Eflin, nobody else can be relied on in the Orioles’ starting rotation. The Cinderella story of Albert Suarez isn’t going to help Baltimore go on a deep playoff run. If Burnes doesn’t turn around his second half, then Baltimore will be doomed in the postseason.

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