Pirates Rookie Pitcher Proving He Belongs In Big Leagues

Starting pitching has been a strength for the Pittsburgh Pirates in 2025. Their 3.52 rotation ERA is the sixth-best in the major leagues. While Paul Skenes leads the group and is one of the best pitchers in baseball, he’s just one-fifth of the rotation. The rest of the group has held its own as well.

Mike Burrows made his first start on May 22. He pitched five innings and allowed four runs. He followed that start with a 3 1/3, five earned run performance. Since then, he’s provided a lift to the Pirates rotation, allowing just three runs in 15 innings over three starts. He’s struck out 20 of 61 hitters faced in that span and walked only three.

While it’s just a five-start sample, Burrows looks the part. The righty uses four different pitches: fastball, changeup, slider, and curveball. The fastball is solid, though unspectacular. He throws hard at about 95 mph and can control the pitch, evidenced by a very high 57.6% zone rate. The rookie could improve his command and hit the top of the zone more frequently, but it’s been a solid strike-getter nonetheless.

Burrows’ breaking balls don’t jump off the page, either, but they’re effective enough. He throws each of them in the zone often enough to get strikes and avoid walks. Refining one to become a more consistent putaway pitch would go a long way for the righty.

The real reason for the young pitcher’s success is his changeup. The slow ball has given hitters fits. So far this season, it holds an absurd 31.6% swinging strike rate. The sample may be too small to draw conclusions from, but the pitch shape and Burrows’ ability to throw it both in and out of the zone are reminiscent of Lucas Giolito’s changeup. At his peak, Giolito rode his changeup to Cy Young votes in three consecutive seasons.

It’s not a one-to-one comparison. Giolito is much bigger than Burrows and extends further down the mound, but the similarities exist. A good changeup is one of the best pitches in baseball. It can neutralize opposite-handed hitters, induce groundballs, and put hitters away. If he can continue to command it as he has, he can cement himself as a quality rotation arm.

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