Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns has had a season to remember.
The 23-year-old has been dominant on the mound this year and has shown why he’s one of the best in the game. While the Reds are out of playoff contention, the team is not planning on shutting down their all-star pitcher for the remainder of the season.
Burns has made 26 starts this season and has a 15-3 record with a 2.79 ERA and 171 strikeouts.
In his last outing against the Chicago Cubs, he picked up the win going 5.2 innings, finishing with seven strikeouts and allowing two earned runs on six hits.
It was his fifth consecutive performance with five or more strikeouts. Burns has been a workhorse this year and has thrown a lot of innings, but his team is not pulling the plug with just a month left to go in the season.
But Burns wants to make sure he’s taking full advantage of taking the mound when it’s his turn.
“This season, making every start and limiting my pitch count and innings, that’s huge for my body,” Burns said. “That’s the plan. Making every start is the biggest thing. I don’t need to go out there at the end of September and throw 110 pitches. Make every start if I feel great. Constantly communicate with them.”
Burns has made significant improvements from his first season, where he appeared in just 13 games and finished with a 4.57 ERA and did not record a win.
Chase Burns Earns $105M Extension
Earlier this season, the Reds gave Burns a seven-year extension worth $105 million, showing how much the team believes in their pitcher.
The MLB season can be a long one for players, which can take a toll on the body. Even though he’s had a long season and has put in a lot of work, he still feels good enough to finish out the rest of the season.
“You take it day by day,” Burns said. “Your body is sore, but I feel good. Of course I’m going to feel some fatigue. What we have going on later to end the season and what our goals are for me and the growth aspect… I’d be lying if I said my arm wasn’t fatigued, but I feel great.”
For Burns, he wants to make sure he finishes the 2026 season healthy and goes into next season on a strong note.
“Being able to finish off this season healthy and feel great is the biggest thing,” Burns said. “One, we have no clue what’s going to happen next year with the lockout stuff. For years to come, if I shut down right now and then next year we don’t have a full season, that’s two seasons where I don’t get a full year of throwing. The year after that (2028) is when I’m supposed to be the man, doing my thing. My body just wouldn’t be able to handle a full season.”
Burns has proved that he can be a dominant pitcher and that he can dominate on the mound for the foreseeable future. The Reds have their guy in Burns, and hopefully he’ll continue to get better and better as his career progresses.
