Baltimore Orioles player of the week: Burnes is back

Heading into the final week of the regular season, the Baltimore Orioles appear to be postseason bound. They have not officially claimed a spot but they have a 4 game lead on the Minnesota Twins for the third and final wild card spot with only six games remaining. The Birds have only managed one win in each of their last five series' to go 5-10 in that time, and if they can eke out just one more win in each of their last two series' it will be just enough for them to limp into the playoffs.

This young team is doing their best to right the ship and steer out of this second half collapse. What the Orioles need is some veteran leadership to take charge and get this team back on track. Corbin Burnes is hopefully the right guy for the job.

Burnes had been the ace the Orioles needed and performed so well that he was named the American League starter for this years All Star game. A front runner for the AL Cy Young award, Burnes was everything the Orioles hoped he would be when they traded away two very good prospects to get him. Then, August.

The month of August was the worst month of Burnes' major league career. He went 1-3 with a 7.36 ERA, which included the worst start of his career when he surrendered eight runs on 10 hits in 4.0 innings against the Boston Red Sox. Burnes managed only one quality start and struck out 22 batters, the lowest strikeout total of any month this season (excluding March when he only pitched one game).

Corbin Burnes has turned his season around in September

But as bad as Burnes was in August, is as good as he's been in September. In his four September starts Burnes has matched his strikeout total from August and is 3-1 with a sparkling 1.08 ERA. Even in his loss Burnes pitched 6.0 innings and allowed two runs, but unfortunately the Orioles' offense couldn't provide any run support. Burnes has been particularly good in his last two outings, both against the Detroit Tigers who presently sit in the second wild card spot just behind the Orioles.

On September 14, Burnes held the Tigers offense scoreless over 7.0 innings allowing only two hits and walk while striking out seven in a game the Birds went on to win 4-2. Six days later Burnes nearly duplicated his previous effort by again silencing the Tigers offense for 7.0 innings, this time allowing three hits and three walks while striking out eight. Burnes has put the Orioles on his back this month and is carrying them to the finish line.

Burnes is scheduled to make his final start of the season on Sept. 26 against the New York Yankees. The Yanks have already clinched a post season berth and are looking to claim their 21st division title. The Orioles will be doing their best to prevent that and with several Birds returning from injuries and several key players starting to heat up, the last week of the season could be a very exciting one.