Ex-Brewers Ace 'Struggling So Much' Placed On Dreaded 'Slump Watch'

What's going on with the four-time All-Star?

June 10, 2011; Milwaukee, WI, USA; A Milwaukee Brewers hat and glove during the game against the St. Louis Cardinals at Miller Park. The Brewers defeated the Cardinals 8-0. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images | Jeff Hanisch-Imagn Images

A former Milwaukee Brewers Cy Young winner is one of 2025’s surprising underperformers early on.

On Tuesday, Bleacher Report’s Zachary D. Rymer released an interesting piece entitled, “MLB Slump Watch for These Struggling Hitters and Pitchers”. Featured on the list of stumbling players was a guy who signed a massive $210 million contract with the Arizona Diamondbacks in December: ex-Brewers hurler Corbin Burnes.

Burnes signed with Arizona after one season with the Baltimore Orioles (2024) and six seasons to begin his career with the Brewers (2018-2023).

Burnes, 30, has already compiled a magnificent Major League resume that includes the aforementioned National League Cy Young Award (2021), two All-MLB First Team selections (2021, 2024), NL ERA leader (2021), NL strikeouts leader (2022), and four All-Star selections (2021-2024).

The start of 2025 hasn’t been kind to Burns, though, as noted by Rymer.

“Corbin Burnes does tend to be a slow starter, posting a 3.73 ERA in April compared to a 3.22 ERA overall,” Rymer wrote.

“This doesn't excuse an ERA as high as 5.28, though, and it's odd to see the 2021 NL Cy Young Award winner struggling so much with his control. He's walked nine batters in 15.1 innings, but his rate of pitches in the zone has not plummeted.”

“As such, more alarming is how hard batters are hitting Burnes. His hard-hit rate is up 22.9 percentage points from 2024, putting him among the worst of the worst of the movers in that department.”

“It wouldn't seem to be helping matters that his cutter and sinker are both roughly 1 mph below his career averages. The former is his signature pitch, and batters have gone from slugging .362 against it in 2024 to .571 so far in 2025.”

“Burnes isn't going to be down this far for the whole season, but his early hittability is an unwelcome variation on a theme. This was also an undercurrent of his 2024 season, in which his strikeout rate was decidedly mid in the 51st percentile.”

Burnes is only three starts into his Diamondbacks career, so there’s no need to press the panic button. He’s scheduled to return to the mound on Friday at Wrigley Field versus the Chicago Cubs.

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