A day after the news leaked out about the Angelos family selling controlling interest of the team to Billionaire David Rubenstein, Mike Elias pulled the trigger on the biggest trade of his career by acquiring ace starting pitcher Corbin Burnes from the Brewers.
According to several sources, the Orioles sent #6 prospect shortstop Joey Ortiz, left-handed relief pitcher DL Hall and the 34th pick in the 2024 amateur draft.
Burnes has one year remaining on his contract before he become a free agent after the 2024 season.
The Orioles Press Release:
The Baltimore Orioles tonight announced that they have acquired right-handed pitcher CORBIN BURNES, athree-time All-Star and 2021 National League Cy Young Award winner,from the Milwaukee Brewers in exchange for left-handed pitcher DL HALL, infielder JOEY ORTIZ, and a 2024 Competitive Balance Round A pick.
Burnes, 29, went 10-8 with a 3.39 ERA (73 ER/193.2 IP) with 141 hits (22 HR), 77 total runs, 66 walks, and 200 strikeouts in 32 starts for the Brewers last season. He led the NL in WHIP (1.07) and ranked among league leaders in opponent average (2nd, .200), hits per nine innings (2nd, 6.55), innings pitched (T-5th), ERA (6th), quality starts (6th, 19), and strikeouts (10th). Burnes was honored as the NL Pitcher of the Month in July after going 4-1 with a 1.85 ERA (8 ER/39.0 IP) and 47 strikeouts in six starts. He threw 8.0 no-hit innings on September 10 at New York-AL but did not factor in the decision in a 13-inning loss. Burnes finished eighth in the NL Cy Young voting, his fourth straight top-eight finish.
Burnes led the NL with 243 strikeouts in 2022, becoming the first Brewer in franchise history to lead the league. The total ranked second in franchise history. His 33 starts were also tied for the most in the NL. The right-hander is one of five MLB pitchers with at least 200 strikeouts over the last three years, including Chicago-AL’s Dylan Cease, New York-AL’s Gerrit Cole, Philadelphia’s Aaron Nola, and Toronto’s Kevin Gausman. He was also a finalist for a Gold Glove Award for the first time and finished seventh in the Cy Young.
During his Cy Young campaign in 2021, Burnes became the third pitcher in franchise history and the first since the team joined the NL to win the award, along with Pete Vuckovich (1982) and National Baseball Hall of Famer Rollie Fingers (1981). He led MLB in ERA (2.43), strikeout rate (35.6%), FIP (1.63), and home runs per nine innings (0.38) while ranking among NL leaders in WHIP (2nd, 0.94), walks per nine innings (2nd, 1.83), strikeouts (3rd, 234), opponent average (4th, .201), hits per nine innings (5th, 6.63), and quality starts (T-10th, 18). Burnes started the year with 58 strikeouts before issuing a walk, breaking the MLB record to begin a season, and later tied the MLB record by striking out 10 consecutive batters on August 11 at Chicago-NL. He was also part of history on September 11 at Cleveland, tossing the first 8.0 innings as Milwaukee no-hit the Guardians.
The Bakersfield, Calif., native is 45-27 with a 3.26 ERA (257 ER/709.1 IP) and 870 strikeouts in 167 career games (106 starts), all with the Brewers, since making his MLB debut in relief on July 10, 2018 at Miami. The righty was originally selected by Milwaukee in the fourth round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft out of Saint Mary’s College of California.
Hall, 25, went 3-0 with a 3.26 ERA (7 ER/19.1 IP) in 18 relief appearances across two stints with the Orioles in 2023. He made his season debut after serving as the 27th man for Baltimore’s doubleheader on April 29 at Detroit. In the first game, he struck out seven batters in relief, the most by an O’s reliever since Dylan Bundy on July 6, 2016 at Los Angeles-NL (7), and the most by a left-handed O’s reliever since Bruce Chen on July 4, 2006 at Chicago-AL (7). He was optioned to Triple-A Norfolk on April 30 before being recalled again on August 26 for the remainder of the season. He worked seven straight scoreless outings (7.1 IP) to close out the campaign, including picking up his first career hold on August 26 vs. Colorado and his first win of the year on September 11 vs. St. Louis. Hall was named to Baltimore’s ALDS roster and made his Postseason debut in Game 1 of the Division Series against the Rangers at Oriole Park, working 1.2 scoreless innings with one walk and three strikeouts while stranding an inherited runner. He also appeared in Game 3 at Texas and worked 1.2 scoreless innings with a hit and three strikeouts. With the Tides, Hall went 1-2 with a 4.22 ERA (23 ER/49.0 IP) and one save in 17 appearances (11 starts).
Over parts of two Major League seasons with Baltimore (2022-23), Hall went 4-1 with a 4.36 ERA (16 ER/33.0 IP) and 42 strikeouts in 29 games (one start). He was named an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2022 and was selected to participate in the 2019 SiriusXM All-Star Futures Game in Cleveland, Ohio.
The Valdosta, Ga., native was originally selected by the Orioles in the first round (No. 21 overall) of the 2017 First-Year Player Draft out of Valdosta High School. He was ranked as the No. 6 prospect in Baltimore’s system and No. 93 overall prospect by Baseball America.
Ortiz, 25, slashed .212/.206/.242 (7-for-33) with one double, four runs scored, and four RBI in 15 games with the Orioles in 2023. He opened the season with Norfolk before being recalled on April 27. He made his MLB debut that day against the Tigers, batting ninth and playing second base. He finished 1-for-3 with three RBI, including a two-run single in the fifth inning. He became the second player in O’s history (since 1954) to drive in three runs in his MLB debut, joining Don Baylor on September 18, 1970 vs. Cleveland, and the first to do so in a nine-inning game. He batted .321/.378/.507 (112-for-349) with 30 doubles, four triples, nine home runs, 66 runs scored, 58 RBI, 32 walks, three hit-by-pitches, and 11 stolen bases in 88 games with Norfolk, helping the Tides win the International League Championship and Triple-A National Championship. Ortiz was named a Baseball America Triple-A All-Star in 2023 and an MiLB.com Organization All-Star in 2022.
The Garden Grove, Calif., native was originally selected by the Orioles in the fourth round of the 2019 First-Year Player Draft out of New Mexico State University. He was ranked as Baltimore’s No. 6 prospect and the No. 63 overall prospect by MLB Pipeline, and Baltimore’s No. 7 prospect by Baseball America.
