Burnes gets O's first Spring Training starting nod
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SARASOTA. Fla. -- Orioles fans won’t have to wait long to get their first glimpse of Corbin Burnes pitching for Baltimore.
Manager Brandon Hyde announced Thursday that Burnes will start the Orioles’ Grapefruit League opener Saturday against the Red Sox at Ed Smith Stadium. Hyde wouldn’t say whether Burnes would start the regular-season opener for Baltimore, though it certainly seems like a safe assumption.
“It's lining up to the beginning of the year and we're just kind of trying to put guys in places,” Hyde said. “He’s on turn, bottom line. You're mapping out what their days are for the season.”
Burnes was traded to the Orioles earlier this month, giving Baltimore a former National League Cy Young Award winner to lead its young rotation. Burnes said he started his first game last spring for the Brewers on a back field rather than pitching in the first week of Cactus League games, but he liked the idea of starting Saturday.
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“It’s exciting to get games going,” Burnes said. “To get in the first one gives me a chance to get an extra outing this camp just to get to know these guys and better prepare for the season. For me, it made more sense getting a game, getting game action in just get to know the catchers a little more.”
Burnes has been establishing a rapport with catcher Adley Rutschman during his bullpen sessions, but getting the chance to work with him in games should help the pair get a feel for what works for the other.
“Just getting comfortable with each other; with setups, with how he receives, how my pitches look for him,” Burnes said. “It takes some time, takes getting to know each other. I think we're in a good spot as far as setups and that kind of stuff goes, so now it's just about getting in game action and getting on the same page with game-calling and that kind of thing.”