PITTSBURGH (93.7 The Fan) – He’s had one other opportunity in the majors, last year at Yankees Stadium, but this is really the first shot for Mike Burrows to show what he can do at the MLB level. The right-hander will start against the Brewers Thursday night throwing as well as he has during his pro career.
Burrows is 2-1 with a 2.51 ERA in eight games, 41 strikeouts to 11 walks in 32.1 innings with a .195 batting average against and 1.05 WHIP (those final two numbers better than Bubba Chandler) with AAA Indianapolis.
“I finally feel like the arm's coming back alive and the body's feeling it,” Burrows said Wednesday, adding it’s the best he’s pitched since before Tommy John surgery a couple years ago.
“Just settling in and pitching rather than throwing. I think that was the biggest thing was just realizing we have the stuff to pitch off the fastball and just move it around and make pitches.”
It’s been a slow build-up by organization design this season, just finally being able to complete the fifth inning this month. He’s done it twice and won both games. He’s really been on in May, not only the two wins, but a 1.02 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 17.2 innings with only four walks leading to an 0.85 WHIP.
“You're going out there to get five at least and try to give your team even more than that to save the bullpen and be back up every fifth day,” Burrows said of his mentality. “Pitching is what helps do that. When you throw, it's a lot more of a toll on the body.”
The 25-year-old former Pirates Minor League Pitcher of the Year said there is a good vibe in AAA Indianapolis right now. He said they are all feeding off each other, especially with the pitching staff that includes Bubba Chandler, Thomas Harrington and Braxton Ashcraft and for a short period Hunter Barco.
“Burrows has earned an opportunity to come up and start up here,” said Pirates manager Don Kelly. “His momentum has been really good, and looking forward to seeing him out there.”