Orioles Announce Surprising Starter For Opening Spring Training Game
The 2024 campaign gets underway for the Baltimore Orioles on Feb. 24 when they take on the Boston Red Sox in their opening Spring Training game.
These AL East foes have gone in complete opposite directions the past few years.
The Orioles shocked everyone when they finished the 2023 regular season with the best record in the American League, proving they are way ahead of schedule in their rebuilding process.
The Red Sox did not do anything to improve their team after back-to-back last place divisional finishes.
Baltimore has a ton of excitement surrounding them as they get their year started, and that should only increase as they officially announced who will be the starting pitcher for the exhibition game against Boston.
According to Roch Kubatko of MASN, their blockbuster addition and new ace Corbin Burnes will be handed the ball.
This comes as a surprise since the Orioles usually give fringe roster players or those not expected to make the team the opportunity to pitch in their Spring Training opener.
However, Baltimore is giving fans the first look at how their new starting pitcher will look on the mound in an Orioles uniform.
Manager Brandon Hyde downplayed the decision a bit when asked why Burnes was named the starter.
"He's on turn, bottom line ... From Burnes' standpoint, it's just lining him up for where we see him in the season, as well as everybody else," he said.
Sure, it's a strategic move to align his rotation to be ready for the actual start of the regular season, but that won't stop fans from being excited to see the star right-hander pitch, no matter if it's an exhibition game.
Does that mean Burnes will be the Opening Day starter as well?
"We'll see, I’m not sure yet," Hyde said.
Kubatko doesn't seem fooled by this response as he noted the manager said this with a suppressed grin and predicted "he's starting Opening Day against the Angels on March 28 at Camden Yards."
Time will tell if the insider is correct in that assessment, but it certainly seems like Burnes will also be given the ball for the season opener.
