Chase Burns has not only been the ace for the Cincinnati Reds this season, but he has been one of the best pitchers in baseball. However, the first-time All-Star had his ups and downs in his last start against the Cleveland Guardians on July 28th when he allowed five runs (one earned) over five innings for a no-decision in a 6-5 loss, decided by Brayan Rocchio’s eighth-inning squeeze bunt in the opener of a doubleheader at Great American Ball Park.

Things began awkwardly in the first inning after José Ramírez hit a one-out single to right field.

An error by second baseman Edwin Arroyo prolonged the inning. Burns appeared to get a called third strike on Travis Bazzana, but the hitter’s ABS challenge overturned the call for ball four that loaded the bases. Then with two outs and a 2-2 count, Burns threw a ball inside to Kyle Manzardo that he said hit him on the hand. Home-plate umpire Alfonso Márquez awarded Manzardo first base, which forced home a run, until the Reds requested a replay challenge.

The call was overturned, and Manzardo returned to the batter’s box to finish the at-bat. Two pitches later, Manzardo slugged Burns’ slider into the right-field seats for a grand slam and an early 4-0 Cleveland lead.

It was the first time Burns allowed a grand slam in his young career and the first time that Manzardo hit one. Ironically, batters had been 1-for-9 against him with the bases loaded. And Manzardo was 4-for-26 (.154) with 11 strikeouts entering with the bases loaded.
“Just a little adversity. I had to get through it,” Burns told MLB.com. “I don’t want to give up four right there, but after that, it’s kind of, ‘Just get through five. It sucked because we won the challenge and just didn’t execute the [second] pitch.”

Burns regrouped as the Reds eventually rallied to take a brief 5-4 lead in the fourth. But he wasn’t able to hold the lead as once again, Jose Ramírez manufactured a run doing his best Rickey Henderson impersonation. After singling with one out in the Cleveland fifth inning, Ramírez stole second base, and then third, before scoring the tying run on Chase DeLauter’s sacrifice fly. They added the go-ahead run in the eighth inning off Sam Moll.

Overall, Burns threw 89 pitches (58 strikes) and left with the game in a 5-5 tie when Brock Burke took over in the top of the sixth. Manager Terry Francona liked seeing Burns push through a rough beginning against the Guardians to make it through five innings.

“I didn’t think he had a decent feel for his slider, right from the get-go, even warming up on the mound,” Francona told MLB.com. “To his credit, he reeled it back in, because it looked like he wasn’t going to stay out there very long.”

“On a day like today, getting five was better than getting three.”


Despite the no-decision against Cleveland, Burns finished July undefeated (3-0) and hasn’t lost since the Angels beat him 10-2 on April 10th. Ironically, he also allowed 5 runs in the loss to Los Angeles. It was also the fourth time all year Burns allowed more than two runs. The Guardians’ contest was his second start since the All-Star break and after signing a 7-year, $105 million deal on July 18th.

Burns also lowered his ERA to 2.40 (3rd best in the NL) in 20 starts this season while keeping his 12-1 record intact. However, there’s some concern within the organization about the workload that the 23-year-old has undertaken. The Reds’ first-round pick (2nd overall) in 2024, Burns has 112.2 innings pitched this season after throwing 109.1 innings combined in the Minors and Majors last season — his first in pro baseball. Burns made a rapid rise for Cincinnati in 2025 as he began the year in Single-A Dayton. He would pitch for Double-AA Chattanooga and Triple-AAA Louisville before making his Reds debut on June 24th.


Against the New York Mets, Burns became the first Major League starting pitcher in the expansion era (since 1961) to strike out the first five batters he faced in his Major League debut, as he struck out eight batters overall in his debut. He also became just the seventh Reds pitcher since 1900 with at least eight strikeouts in his Major League debut and was just the second Red in that time with eight or more strikeouts and no walks in his debut, joining Johnny Cueto (10 K), who did it on 4/3/08 vs. the Diamondbacks.

The Tennessee native would strike out 10 batters in three straight starts from 7/11 through 7/28, joining Raisel Iglesias (8/23/ through 9/2 of 2015) as the only Reds pitcher to produce 10 strikeouts in three consecutive starts. He also became the third pitcher since 1893 with 10 or more strikeouts in four of his first eight career starts, joining Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Bob Feller (1936). His 57 career K’s through his first eight MLB starts were second-most by any Red in that span since 1900. Only Gary Nolan’s 60 K’s in 1967 were more in a similar span. However, the workload would eventually take a bit of a toll on Burns, as he was placed on the 15-day IL on August 15 due to a grade 1 right flexor strain.

He would return after the September roster callups, but only threw out of the bullpen. Burns tossed 9 scoreless innings in 5 games, where he went no longer than 2 innings in each appearance.
Unofficially, the Reds are looking at a 140-inning limit for the former Wake Forest standout through the remainder of the season. “He gets it,” Francona told Yahoo Sports. “He’s a pretty sharp kid. I know he loves competing, but we have to keep an eye out for him.”

“I told him, ‘There’s gonna be a day when you’ll probably go out and throw two more innings, but it’s just not now.” Burns’ first half has been both impressive and historic. He’s become the first Reds pitcher since John Smiley in 1995 to win 11 of his first 12 decisions.


He became just the third Reds pitcher to enter the All-Star break with a record of 11-1 or better, joining Wayne Simpson (1970) and Brooks Lawrence (1956). Burns’ 10 consecutive winning decisions are the longest by a Reds pitcher in a single season since 1985. The franchise record since then belongs to John Franco and Tom Browning, who each won 11 straight decisions. To really take stock in Burns’ contributions, Cincinnati has gone 15-4 in his starts.

Burns’ next scheduled start is slated for Sunday (1:40 pm ET) in the final game of a four-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Great American Ball Park. He’ll oppose right-hander Mitch Keller.

Burns has put up strong numbers against Pittsburgh in 2026, going 1-0 with a 2.50 ERA and 24 strikeouts across three appearances. This includes a 2-0 win on March 30th. He tossed 5 scoreless innings, allowing one hit and three walks with seven strikeouts to earn his first major league win.