Corbin Burnes, the Orioles’ ace, took the mound on Thursday night at Camden Yards with a notably different look—his long hair was gone. The change came after a challenging outing against the Red Sox, but it did little to reverse Burnes’ recent slump.
Burnes pitched 5 2/3 innings in the Orioles’ 6-0 loss to the Astros. He allowed six runs, five earned, on eight hits and two walks. This performance was a stark contrast to his All-Star form, reflecting a troubling trend for the 29-year-old. Since the start of August, Burnes’ ERA has climbed from 2.47 to 3.28 over his last four starts. While Thursday’s effort was an improvement over his eight-run outing on August 16, it fell short of the high expectations Baltimore has for its top pitcher.
Burnes started strong, retiring the first nine batters he faced. However, trouble began in the fourth inning when Jose Altuve walked to lead off the inning. Burnes, trying to prevent stolen bases, committed a disengagement violation by throwing to first base three times. This allowed Altuve to advance to second base. Yordan Álvarez then drove in Altuve with a single, and Ben Gamel added another run with an RBI single, making it 2-0.
The sixth inning was even tougher for Burnes. With two outs and runners on the corners, he surrendered a full-count RBI single to Gamel. The inning continued with a series of Astros singles, and by the time Burnes left the game, the score had ballooned to 6-0.
Burnes reflected on his performance, saying, “The at-bat against Gamel really changed the inning. Being one pitch away from a quality start and not finishing it was frustrating. I have to focus on the positives and move forward.”
Manager Brandon Hyde noted that Burnes’ stuff was good, but luck was not on his side. “They didn’t hit him hard. It was just a series of ground balls and close plays that didn’t go our way,” Hyde said.
In contrast to Burnes’ struggles, the Orioles’ offense faltered against Astros rookie Spencer Arrighetti, who allowed only three hits over six innings. Despite early chances, such as a double by Gunnar Henderson and a hustle double by Ryan Mountcastle, the Orioles could not capitalize. Adley Rutschman’s fourth-inning single was the last hit for the Orioles as they were unable to score against relievers Shawn Dubin and Caleb Ferguson.
Hyde praised Arrighetti’s performance, acknowledging, “He pitched us extremely tough. We struggled offensively and only managed three hits. It’s hard to win games with such a low output.”
Ryan O’Hearn pointed out that the team’s success relies on grinding out at-bats and creating scoring opportunities. “We need to have better at-bats and avoid putting too much pressure on ourselves to deliver big hits in key moments,” he said. “We’ll find our rhythm; it’s a long season with ups and downs.”
Burnes, who has faced difficulties recently, is still crucial for the Orioles, especially with injuries depleting the pitching staff. The team has lost five of its last seven games and needs Burnes to return to his early-season form.
“We know what we’re capable of and how we started the year,” Burnes said. “I need to turn things around and make the crucial pitches. We still have a lot of baseball left.”
With the regular season winding down, Burnes has a few more starts to regain his form before the potential playoff run. His hair might grow back, but the focus will be on getting back to his best on the mound.