Corbin Burnes allowed two more home runs and made it through just 3 2/3 innings on Wednesday as the Milwaukee Brewers fell to the St. Louis Cardinals 6-3 in their series finale at Miller Park.
Burnes has now surrendered 11 home runs in his four starts and is now 0-2 with an ERA that has climbed to 10.70.
Marcell Ozuna and Matt Carpenter clubbed home runs off of Burnes on Wednesday. The Cardinals as a team, banged out 15 hits in all, nine off of Burnes.
Last season, Burnes was a star in the Brewers bullpen, going 7-0 with a 2.61 ERA in 30 appearances. As a starter this season, Burnes has had nothing but struggles.
The Brewers right-hander has struggled to locate his fastball, leaving the ball out over the plate far too often. Ten of the 11 home runs that he has allowed, have come on fastballs.
Now, Brewers manager Craig Counsell has to decide how to handle Burnes moving forward.
“I don’t care how you’re made up, this is a tough stretch to go through,” Counsell said. “We have to acknowledge that and deal with it. This would shake anybody. So, that’s part of this, for sure.
“Corbin is a tough kid and a competitive kid. And he will rebound from this. But we’ve got to make sure we figure out the right way to do that, and give him the best way to do that. He’s a really important pitcher for us. And he has the stuff to be a heck of a pitcher. We’re just not seeing it right now.”
The Brewers may have to move Burnes to the bullpen for now, or possibly even send him down for work at AAA San Antonio. That is something Counsell and GM David Stearns will discuss in the coming days.
Recently recalled Aaron Wilkerson came on in relief of Burnes, pitching four innings and allowing one run on five hits. He struck out three and walked nobody.
Wilkerson was a big part of the Brewers offense as well, clubbing a two run home run in the fifth off of Cardinals starter Michael Wacha. It was the first major league hit for Wilkerson. Wilkerson became the 11th Brewers player to hit a home run for his first major league hit.
The Brewers open a four-game series against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Miller Park tonight. Zach Davies (2-0, 1.53) pitches for Milwaukee. Julio Urias (0-1, 5.27) goes for the Dodgers.