Caught your breath yet, Birdland?
The most ridiculous week in memory rolls on, as this evening we learned that the Orioles are in the process of trading for Milwaukee Brewers pitcher Corbin Burnes.
Shortstop Joey Ortiz and left-hander D.L. Hall are going to the Milwaukee Brewers in the trade that will send Corbin Burnes to Baltimore, a source tells ESPN.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) February 2, 2024
Along with Hall and Ortiz, the Brewers will receive a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A draft pick from the Orioles, per source. That’s the entire deal.
— Mark Feinsand (@Feinsand) February 2, 2024
If that’s truly the entire deal, I think we have to be pretty happy, O’s fans. The Birds got an ace starting pitcher and didn’t have to give up anyone like Coby Mayo, Heston Kjerstad, Jackson Holliday, or Samuel Basallo.
It hurts to give up DL Hall, who was a fan favorite. But while he looked like he was turning into a valuable piece in the back of the bullpen, the shine was off the apple as far as ever becoming the front-line starter we expected a few years ago.
Ortiz, however, deserved to go somewhere he could get regular playing time, instead of continuing to languish in AAA.
Let’s talk Corbin Burnes, shall we?
The 29-year-old signed for $15.6 million last month to avoid arbitration in this, his final year before free agency.
(Can you imagine John Angelos approving a trade for a $16M pitcher?!)
(Yes, I know the ownership change hasn’t happened yet. Put it this way: can you imagine John A approving it IF he didn’t have 1.725 billion coming his way in a few weeks?)
He won the National League Cy Young award in 2021, when he went 11-5 with a 2.43 ERA in 167.0 IP over 28 starts. He struck out 234 batters while posting a 170 ERA+ and 1.63 FIP to go along with an insane 6.88 K/BB ratio.
In 2020, he finished 6th in NL Cy Young voting, and seven and eighth the past two seasons, so it isn’t like 2021 was all that anomalous.
His career numbers are 45-27, with a 3.26 ERA in 106 starts. He has a lifetime K/BB of 4.22, K/9 of 11.0, FIP of 3.11 and ERA+ of 129. He shares the MLB record with Tom Seaver and Aaron Nola for consecutive strikeouts in a game with 10, and owns the record for most strikeouts to start a season without issuing a walk (58).
He immediately slots into the top spot in the Birds’ rotation, and takes a lot of pressure off the guys behind him. Now we are talking something like this:
1. Corbin Burnes
2. Kyle Bradish
4. John Means
5. Dean Kremer
This would allow Tyler Wells to stay in the bullpen, where he finished the 2023 season, lessening the blow of losing Hall.
But listen, Birdland…here’s the thing. We are SO used to the team making ONE – if any – moves and then being done, calling it an offseason. We have no reason to believe they’re anywhere near being done!
Buckle the hell up!
