Corbin Burnes dominates in Orioles debut, significantly raises their ceiling

It would be difficult for an offseason addition to have a better debut with their new team than the one starting pitcher Corbin Burnes had for the Baltimore Orioles on Thursday. Burnes not only dazzled for six innings against the Los Angeles Angels, he showed why his addition was one of the most significant ones in baseball and why the Orioles should be regarded as one of the top World Series contenders in baseball.

In his six-inning debut Burnes allowed just one hit (a first-inning home run to Mike Trout), struck out 11 and walked none. 

Outside of that one mistake to Trout, he was perfect.

He is also perfect for what the Orioles needed.

Burnes is one of the best pitchers in baseball, finishing in the top 10 of the National League Cy Young voting in each of the past four seasons. He won it after the 2021 season. 

If the Orioles had one weakness during the 2023 season, it was their lack of a true front-line starting pitcher. Now they have one. 

What should make that so intimidating for the rest of the American League is that Baltimore still won 101 games – and the American League East – a year ago without having that sort of presence at the top of its starting rotation. 

Now the Orioles do. He showed on Thursday just what that looks like for them.

Baltimore's roster looks loaded on paper and boasts some of baseball's best young players, including catcher Adley Rutschman and infielder Gunnar Henderson. They also have another prized prospect waiting in the wings in shortstop Jackson Holliday.

It has been 41 years since the Orioles won a World Series. They certainly have the foundation in place to end that drought in the near future. The addition of Burnes helps get them a little closer.