With the Cincinnati Reds dealing with the injury to Hunter Greene, it could open up a spot for a pitcher like Chase Burns to display his talents. As the Reds are figuring out their pitching rotation, with Burns being an interesting piece of the puzzle, the team has also been careful about his workload in spring training, with the latest update a positive one.
According to Charlie Goldsmith, Cincinnati is “very pleased” with how Burns has been looking in recent sessions.
“Chase Burns threw a bullpen yesterday that went very well. They’re very pleased with how he looks right now,” Goldsmith wrote on X, formerly Twitter.
Some concerns about an injury came when Burns was lifted early in a spring training game on March 13, but manager Terry Francona would alleviate any worries.
“This kid's still working through, like, some of his routines and stuff,” Francona said, according to The Cincinnati Enquirer. “He had a big five days with the trainers and stuff, working on the flexibility and the mobility. We just want to make sure that − I mean, he's good to go. Might cost him an inning, but he's OK.”
What Reds' Chase Burns is focusing on
If there's one thing for sure, the Reds see Burns as a starter, as they've liked what they saw from a talent perspective. The 23-year-old looks to improve after finishing with a 4.57 ERA to go along with 67 strikeouts and a 0-3 record in 13 games and 41.1 innings.
It remains to be seen if Hunter's injury opens up an avenue for Burns to debut with the team in 2026, but there's no denying that his goal is improving.
“Just keep working on my craft. Keep working on my body, my mobility, all kinds of stuff,” Burns said. “Keep working on the other pitches that are going to make the fastball and slider better.”
At any rate, Cincinnati's Opening Day is on Thursday, March 26, as the team starts the regular season against the Boston Red Sox.
