Baltimore Orioles Ace Reaches Big Career Milestone vs. Guardians

Corbin Burnes reached a major career strikeout mark during Sunday's start.

Jul 19, 2024; Arlington, Texas, USA; Baltimore Orioles pitcher Corbin Burnes throws to the plate. / Raymond Carlin III-USA TODAY Sports

The Baltimore Orioles ended their weekend series at Progressive Field on a high note, earning a 9-5 win over the Cleveland Guardians on Sunday. The victory was the Orioles' 67th of the season, tying the Guardians and New York Yankees for most in baseball.

Sunday was also a big day for Baltimore ace Corbin Burnes. While Burnes wasn't at his best, giving up five runs (four earned) on seven hits in five innings, he was good enough to pick up his 12th win of the season. He also tallied four strikeouts, the second of which was the 1,000th of his career.

Aced it. pic.twitter.com/kRoyMNcQmq

— Baltimore Orioles (@Orioles) August 4, 2024

Burnes' milestone punchout came in the bottom of the third. With one out and two runners in scoring position, Lane Thomas worked a full count against Burnes. The All-Star Game starter got him to chase a 97-mph cutter up and out of the zone, which Thomas foul-tipped for strike three.

Burnes added two more whiffs to his ledger before coming out, finishing the day with 1,002 career strikeouts.

The vast majority of those whiffs came with the Milwaukee Brewers before they traded him to the Orioles last offseason. Burnes racked up 870 strikeouts in his first six seasons with the Brewers, including an NL-high 243 in 2022. He eclipsed 200 whiffs every year from 2021 to 2023, making the NL All-Star team each season and winning NL Cy Young honors in 2021.

Burnes is going to be a free agent after this season, however, so Milwaukee traded him to Baltimore rather than risk losing him for nothing.

The Brewers' loss has been the Orioles' gain, as Burnes has been their best pitcher this season. He's gone 12-4 with a 2.63 ERA in 23 starts, leading Baltimore's staff and helping the defending AL East champions maintain one of the best records in baseball all season.

The Orioles are also hoping Burnes can help them do something he never achieved with Milwaukee: win a World Series.