Corbin Burnes gets honest about his strikeout decline

Corbin Burnes officially became a member of the Arizona Diamondbacks on Wednesday, as the team inked him to a six-year, $210 million contract. Burnes joined MLB Network for an interview where Brian Kenny asked him a tough question about his strikeout decline.

From 2021 to 2024, the right-hander experienced a notable decline in his strikeout rate (K/9), dropping from 12.61 in 2021 to 8.39 in 2024. This represents a decrease of 4.22 strikeouts per nine innings.

When asked about the reason for the decline in the strikeout rate, Burnes answered:

"Yeah, so the main goal this year was to fill up the strike zone more. We thought we had a lot of room to grow in first-pitch strikes and overall strike percentage. By doing that, we got a lot of early contact, which allowed us to pitch deeper into games and keep the pitch count down.

"We kind of made that adjustment in September, focusing on getting the swing-and-miss stuff back and increasing strikeouts again. Knowing that I can do both is great, and I think it will help me prolong my career and give me different avenues to get outs. Overall, I think it was a good year and a productive one."

Analyzing two key metrics of Corbin Burnes stats from 2021 to 2024

Corbin Burnes' pitching career really peaked in 2021, when he was with the Milwaukee Brewers. In the three seasons prior, he never pitched above 60.0 innings in a season. Let's take a look at some key metrics, including his evolution from being strike-out first pitcher to a balanced approach pitcher.

Strikeout Rate (K/9)

Burnes’ ability to generate strikeouts was at its peak in 2021, boasting an incredible 12.61 K/9. However, his strikeout rate began to decline over the next three seasons:

• 2022: 10.83 K/9
• 2023: 9.30 K/9
• 2024: 8.39 K/9

This steady decrease of over 4.22 K/9 is because Burnes relied more on contact management than overpowering hitters as his career progressed.

Walk Rate (BB/9):

Burnes was exceptionally efficient with his command in 2021, posting an impressive 1.83 BB/9, which complemented his strikeout rate. His walk rate over the subsequent seasons, however, showed some fluctuation:

2022: 2.27 BB/9

2023: 3.07 BB/9

2024: 2.22 BB/9

After peaking at a concerning 3.07 BB/9 in 2023, Burnes made adjustments to improve his control in 2024. Despite this improvement, his walk rate in 2024 was still higher than his elite 2021 levels.

Moreover, Corbin Burnes' WAR peaked at 5.6 in 2021. By 2024, it had dipped to 3.4.