ARLINGTON, Texas -- When the Orioles traded for pitcher Corbin Burnes this offseason, they expected their new ace to start opening day and Game 1 of a playoff series.
Starting the All-Star Game is just a cherry on top.
Burnes will start on the mound for the American League at the All-Star Game on Tuesday, AL manager Bruce Bochy announced Monday afternoon.
Orioles shortstop Gunnar Henderson and catcher Adley Rutschman will also start the game against Pittsburgh Pirates rookie flamethrower Paul Skenes, who was named starter for the National League.
Burnes and Rutschman will be the first Orioles battery to start the All-Star Game together. It is both their first time earning a starting nod at the Midsummer Classic.
"That'd be awesome," Burnes said when asked about the possibility of starting earlier this month. "Obviously, never done it before. Not very many guys get the opportunity to start an All-Star Game, so that would be really cool. And to have Adley back there would make it even better."
Since acquiring Burnes late in the offseason, the 29-year-old right-hander has been as advertised as a former NL Cy Young Award winner and now an All-Star in four consecutive seasons. His 2.43 ERA through 19 starts in the first half is among the best in baseball.
Burnes is only the fourth pitcher in Orioles history to start the All-Star Game, joining Jim Palmer (1970, 1972, 1977, 1978), Milt Pappas (1965) and Steve Stone (1980). Rutschman joins Gus Triandos (1958 and 1959) and Terry Kennedy (1987) as Orioles catchers to start behind the dish. (Matt Wieters was voted as the starter in 2014 but was unable to play because of an injury.)
Henderson, who leads the Orioles with 28 homers, 63 RBIs and a .956 OPS, is the first Baltimore shortstop to make or start the contest since Manny Machado in 2018. He joins an illustrious list of Orioles shortstops to appear in the exhibition, including Cal Ripken Jr., Miguel Tejada and Mark Belanger.
The Orioles have five All-Stars, including infielder Jordan Westburg and outfielder Anthony Santander on the AL's bench. They could play in the game as substitutes.
Henderson will compete in the Home Run Derby tonight at 8 p.m. The All-Star is on Tuesday at 8 p.m.