ARLINGTON, Texas — When the Orioles traded for pitcher Corbin Burnes this offseason, they expected their new ace to start opening day and Game 1 of a playoff series.
Starting the All-Star Game is just a cherry on top.
Burnes will start on the mound for the American League in the All-Star Game on Tuesday night, AL manager Bruce Bochy announced Monday afternoon. He will be the first Orioles pitcher to start the Midsummer Classic since 1980.
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman will also start against Pittsburgh Pirates rookie flamethrower Paul Skenes, who was named the starter for the National League. Henderson will bat second and Rutschman eighth.
Burnes and Rutschman will be the first Orioles battery to start the All-Star Game together. It is both their first time earning a starting nod at the Midsummer Classic.
“That’d be awesome,” Burnes said when asked about the possibility of starting earlier this month. “Obviously, never done it before. Not very many guys get the opportunity to start an All-Star Game, so that would be really cool. And to have Adley back there would make it even better.”
Since acquiring Burnes from the Milwaukee Brewers late in the offseason, the 29-year-old right-hander has been as advertised as a former NL Cy Young Award winner and now an All-Star in four consecutive seasons. His 2.43 ERA through 19 starts in the first half is among the best in baseball.
Burnes is only the fifth pitcher in Orioles history to start the All-Star Game, joining Jim Palmer (1970, 1972, 1977, 1978), Jerry Walker (1959), Milt Pappas (1965) and Steve Stone (1980).
Burnes received the nod over Chicago White Sox left-hander Garrett Crochet and Detroit Tigers southpaw Tarik Skubal — two younger pitchers who are first-time All-Stars. Bochy told reporters he chose Burnes because of his body of work during his career with a 2.79 ERA since 2020.
“I think you have to look at his resume, what he’s done in baseball,” Bochy said. “He’s had an incredible career. This is his fourth consecutive All-Star Game. What he’s done this year in Baltimore, you know, they’re leading their division. He’s a big reason for that.
“In my mind, it’s just his time. It’s his time to start an All-Star Game. That’s why I chose him.”
Burnes is still home with his family in Arizona but will arrive in Texas in time to start the game. He and his wife, Brooke, had twin girls, Charlotte and Harper, in late June, giving the couple three kids under 3 years old. Burnes was unsure of whether to attend the All-Star Game, but he said his wife told him she wanted him to go.
“It’s not easy being a big league wife,” Burnes said earlier this month. “With the amount of travel and stuff we go through, I appreciate her support and everything she’s gone through the past couple years.”
Burnes learned he’d be starting the game when Hall of Famer Pedro Martínez called him and broke the news.
Pedro Martínez let Burnes know he’s going to start the All-Star Game
pic.twitter.com/gO0NNWrB85
— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) July 15, 2024
“Oh, that’s awesome,” Burnes responded, as seen in a video posted on Orioles social media pages. Martínez said he hoped Burnes could “do what I did 25 years ago,” referencing the 1999 All-Star Game in which Martínez struck out the NL’s first four batters.
“I’ll do my best,” Burnes replied. “That’s a lot to keep up with.”
Rutschman joins Gus Triandos (1958 and 1959) and Terry Kennedy (1987) as Orioles catchers to start behind the plate. (Matt Wieters was voted as the starter in 2014 but was unable to play because of an injury.) Henderson, who leads the Orioles with 28 homers, 63 RBIs and a .956 OPS, is the first Baltimore shortstop to make or start the contest since Manny Machado in 2018. He joins an illustrious list of Orioles shortstops to appear in the exhibition, including Cal Ripken Jr., Miguel Tejada and Mark Belanger.
The Orioles have five All-Stars, including infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Anthony Santander on the AL’s bench. They could play in the game as substitutes.
Henderson will compete in the Home Run Derby on Monday night at 8 p.m. The All-Star Game is on Tuesday at 8 p.m.
American League starting lineup
- Steven Kwan, Guardians, LF
- Gunnar Henderson, Orioles, SS
- Juan Soto, Yankees, RF
- Aaron Judge, Yankees, CF
- Yordan Alvarez, Astros, DH
- José Ramírez, Guardians, 3B
- Vladimir Guerrero Jr., Blue Jays, 1B
- Adley Rutschman, Orioles, C
- Marcus Semien, Rangers, 2B
National League starting lineup
- Ketel Marte, Diamondbacks, 2B
- Shohei Ohtani, Dodgers, DH
- Trea Turner, Phillies, SS
- Bryce Harper, Phillies, 1B
- William Contreras, Brewers, C
- Christian Yelich, Brewers, RF
- Alec Bohm, Phillies, 3B
- Teoscar Hernández, Dodgers, CF
- Jurickson Profar, Padres, LF
