MINNEAPOLIS — What has been expected since the Orioles traded for him this winter is now confirmed: Right-hander Corbin Burnes will start Game 1 of the postseason for Baltimore, with the matchup set for Tuesday at Camden Yards.

Burnes, the ace whom the Orioles acquired in a trade from the Milwaukee Brewers, has lived up to vast expectations. After a difficult August that included 28 runs against him, Burnes mowed through September, with four earned runs in 30 innings. In those five starts, he held opposing hitters to a .512 on-base-plus-slugging percentage.

Part of Burnes’ success in September came from his revitalized cutter. He tweaked his mechanics to improve his glove-side run and add depth to a pitch that had become too much like a four-seam fastball.

The Orioles sent left-hander DL Hall and infielder Joey Ortiz to Milwaukee for Burnes, with the idea that a veteran starting pitcher was what the team needed come October. Last year, when the Texas Rangers swept them in the American League Division Series, the lack of experienced starting pitching was a factor in the Orioles’ demise. Although right-hander Kyle Bradish performed well in the first game against the Rangers, Baltimore knew before trading for Burnes that Bradish had suffered an elbow injury.

The need, then, for Burnes only grew — and it has escalated during the year, when season-ending injuries for John Means, Tyler Wells and Grayson Rodriguez left the rotation looking far different than expected heading into spring training.

Burnes has pitched in eight postseason games in his career, with two starts. The majority of those appearances came in 2018, when he appeared out of the bullpen six times. He started games in 2021 and 2023. Last year’s playoff outing didn’t go as well as imagined. Burnes allowed four runs in four innings. However, in 2021, Burnes pitched six scoreless frames.

Overall, in those eight playoff appearances, Burnes has a 2.84 ERA.

Burnes is an impending free agent who will be a coveted asset across the major leagues this winter. At 29, the former Cy Young Award winner could be headed for a massive contract, both in value and years. His postseason performances for Baltimore could reinforce the belief around the league that he’s a table-setting rotation piece.