– by Adesina O. Koiki
A Lot of Sports Talk editor-in-chief
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BALTIMORE — The rumors surrounding the Baltimore Orioles and general manager Mike Elias right before the Trade Deadline cutoff has turned into tangible change over the past 48 hours, though the biggest piece added before this season once again proved the price the team gave up in their pursuit of postseason success.
Burnes pitched into the seventh inning and allowed just four hits, leading the Orioles to a 6-2 victory over the Toronto Blue Jays inside Oriole Park at Camden Yards on Tuesday evening. Ramón Urías and Anthony Santander both homered for Baltimore, who made a splash before the end of the trade deadline earlier today with the acquisition of Chicago White Sox slugger Eloy Jiménez to bolster a lineup that already leads the Major Leagues in home runs.
Today’s move for Jimenez added to earlier deals the Orioles made to bolster the starting rotation, with both Zach Eflin (Rays) and Trevor Rogers (Marlins) coming over via trade. Despite the additions, Burnes, who was acquired in the offseason in a trade with the Milwaukee Brewers, has pitched like the former Cy Young Award winner that he was in 2021. Tonight marked his 17th consecutive start going at least six innings, and he has allowed three runs or fewer in 21 of his 22 starts this season.
“So consistent. He’s so hard to hit because the ball moves so much, upper 90s with a great curveball and changeup,” Orioles manager Brandon Hyde said. “That’s pretty much what he’s done almost every single time out for us. He’s a horse and he’s the No. 1.”
The Blue Jays managed just six total bases as a team, with the only extra base hit coming on a Daulton Varsho double in the seventh inning off Orioles reliever Cionel Pérez, who came on to replace Burnes.
*Editor’s note: Above the byline is the photo gallery from Tuesday evening’s game, with photos taken by DC-area photographer Michael R. Smith. After clicking on a photo to enlarge the picture, press the left and right arrow buttons on either side of the caption to scroll through the rest of the pictures that appear on the first page, Also, click on the numbers and/or arrow appearing immediately below the picture grid to load the next set of photos. There are 24 pictures in total.
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