Baltimore Orioles ace Corbin Burnes will be the American League’s starting pitcher in Tuesday night’s All-Star Game in Arlington, Texas.
The 29-year-old right-hander will take the mound opposite Pittsburgh Pirates rookie Paul Skenes for the National League.
Burnes is 9-4 with a 2.43 ERA and 110 strikeouts through 19 starts in his first season with the Orioles. He is 0-1 in July with a 3.75 ERA in two starts and has not pitched since Wednesday’s 10-4 setback against the Chicago Cubs.
Hall of Fame pitcher Pedro Martinez made the phone call Monday letting Burnes know that AL manager Bruce Bochy of the Texas Rangers picked him to start the midsummer showcase at Globe Life Field.
“Oh, that’s awesome,” Burnes responded.
“I hope you can do what I did 25 years ago,” Martinez said, referring to the 1999 All-Star Game in Boston where he was named the MVP after striking out the NL’s first four batters.
“I’ll do my best,” Burnes said. “That’s a lot to keep up with.”
Burnes played his first six seasons with the Milwaukee Brewers, making the NL All-Star squads in 2021, 2022 and 2023 and winning the Cy Young Award in 2021. Baltimore acquired him in a Feb. 1 trade that sent left-hander DL Hall, infielder Joey Ortiz and future considerations to Milwaukee.
Burnes is the fourth Orioles pitcher to earn the starting nod, joining Jim Palmer (four times), Milt Pappas and Steve Stone. Stone’s selection in 1980 was the most recent.
Two of his Orioles teammates, catcher Adley Rutschman and shortstop Gunnar Henderson, will also start the game. Burnes and Rutschman will be the first Orioles battery to start the All-Star Game. Infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Anthony Santander are on the American League’s bench.