Burnes too busy with babies and preparing for next start to think about All-Star Game

SEATTLE – The math leaves two possible outcomes for Orioles ace Corbin Burnes.

If Burnes starts every fifth day heading into the break, beginning this afternoon against the Mariners, his turn falls on July 14 against the Yankees at Camden Yards. An important 11:35 a.m. game between the top two teams in the division to finish the first half.

If Burnes is on the mound every fifth game, with extra rest coming from Monday’s open date on the schedule, he’d be available to pitch in the All-Star Game on July 16.

He’d be available to start for the first time.

Burnes hasn’t paused to think about it. He’s preoccupied with wife Brooke giving birth to twin girls Charlotte and Harper early Friday morning in Arizona. Burnes is a tired dad working on six days’ rest this afternoon following last Thursday’s outing at Camden Yards.

“The last two weeks has been trying to figure out what days I’m going to pitch before I have to go home for the birth of the twins,” he said. “Wanted to get back and get a couple days to throw before I pitch. That’s pretty much all I’ve looked at right now. Get through (today) and see where we’re at.

“We’re off again Monday. I don’t know how it’s going to play out. Right now just looking to get through (today) and see what happens.”

Burnes seems like a lock to be chosen with his 9-3 record, 2.28 ERA, 1.031 WHIP and 13 quality starts. The reputation doesn’t hurt, either, with three previous selections and his Cy Young Award.

“I’ve gone to the All-Star Game a couple times and it’s a great experience, it’s fun,” he said. “One of those things, it’s a lot different type of atmosphere that you’re pitching in than a regular season game. It’s a lot more fun, a lot more loose. Not really much emphasis in trying to win the game. Be out there having fun. Be honored to showcase for your team and represent your team. So it’s a fun day.”

Burnes pitched only once out of his three selections. He followed National League starter Max Scherzer in 2021 at Coors Field and allowed two runs in two innings.

The 2022 game at Dodger Stadium passed without Burnes participating because he wanted to concentrate on getting physically right for the second half, and he was slated to start the first game out of the break. He stayed in the bullpen last year in Seattle.

“I said, ‘Hey, if I don’t pitch, I’m fine,’ and so they were like, ‘OK, we have easy coverage so don’t worry about it,’” he said.

“I don’t remember what happened in ’22. Probably something similar, like, ‘Hey, if you need me to throw an inning, great, I’ll throw.’ But usually those innings are taken up by young guys every year just because a young guy’s first time in an All-Star Game, it’s fun to do it. A lot of the other guys who are there are like, ‘Hey, go for it.’

“We’ll see what happens this year if I’m elected.”

Teammates Grayson Rodriguez and Craig Kimbrel also have legitimate arguments for inclusion on the AL pitching staff. Kimbrel’s selection would be his 10^th.

“I hope he makes it, too,” said manager Brandon Hyde. “He deserves it. He’s been money for us, and besides that little stretch, he’s been really, really good.

“When you win as many games as we have the last two years, a year and a half especially, there’s a lot of really good individual performances, and this year we’re having a bunch. Grayson and Burnsie definitely deserve big-time consideration to be in that game.

“Grayson, that was an All-Star performance (Tuesday) night. Burnsie’s been an All-Star performance almost every single game he’s thrown. I’m hoping those two guys make it, as well.”

Burnes wraps up the series against the Mariners, and Albert Suárez starts Friday night in Oakland. Those spots are confirmed in a rotation that’s often under TBA status.

Having only one off-day in June led the Orioles to plan for a six-man rotation, which injuries and surgeries pretty much destroyed. They won’t go back to it after Dean Kremer’s reinstatement from the injured list yesterday.

Kremer, who tossed five scoreless innings last night, is joining Burnes, Rodriguez, Suárez and rookie Cade Povich. Cole Irvin shifts to the bullpen again, where he can provide bulk relief - a role that’s lacking on the club.

Irvin’s ERA rose from 2.87 to 4.13 over his last four starts.

“He got off to a good start in the rotation,” Hyde said. “We kind of bounced him around a little bit because we were in that weird … where we had a bunch of starters that we don’t really as much, unfortunately. And with Dean coming back, we didn’t want to go to a six-man rotation right now, so somebody’s going to go into the bullpen. That could change, too. That could change this week. Who knows?

“Suárez is going to start on Friday. We’re going to kind of play it by ear. To have a third lefty in the bullpen and to have somebody who can give us some length in the bullpen, which we haven’t had a lot this year. But we haven’t really had games where we absolutely needed it, either. Knock on wood that we continue that. He’s been good out of the ‘pen for us, too. His stuff ticks up for me when we’ve thrown him out of the ‘pen. He’s got a little more life to his fastball. We’ll see what it looks like.”