The Cincinnati Reds were looking for someone to slow down the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies on Tuesday, and manager Terry Francona found that antidote in starting pitcher Chase Burns.
Burns was excellent, throwing 6.0 innings and striking out 9 batters. In the process, he gave up just 3 hits and 1 earned run, earning a win for the Reds. However, there was also a scary moment there. At the end of the sixth inning, Bryce Harper hit a line drive off Burns that looked like it may have been below the belt, and while he was able to recover, it looked painful, and he didn’t return.
He seems to be okay.
After the game, Francona did not seem worried about Burns. In fact, he would give a pretty hilarious injury update on the Reds pitcher.
“It hit him kind of in the meat of the hamstring kind of,” Francona said. “Man, I’ll tell you what, that was scary. Then, he ran off the mound. I thought he was okay. Then, he got in the dugout and looked like he was dead. I ask him, ‘Hey man, please tell me you have a cup on?’ and he said, ‘No.’ I was like, ‘Chase, I don’t even watch a game on TV without wearing a cup.’ I said, ‘Golly, man. You guys are crazy.'”
It was a scary play. Harper hit the ball over 108 mph back off Burns, and it easily could have led to a bad injury. Luckily, based on how Francona spoke about Burns, the Reds dodged anything too severe.
“It hurt, for sure,” Burns said. “Just trying to get the out and come in as fast as possible. It’ll be good.”
Chase Burns has Been Phenomenal for the Cincinnati Reds
GettyCincinnati Reds SP Chase Burns
The Cincinnati Reds and Chase Burns appear to have dodged any kind of injury. That’s massive as Burns is now in the midst of a breakout season for the Reds.
Burns broke into the majors during the 2025 season. The former second-overall pick who played his college baseball at Tennessee, Burns faced some growing pains in that rookie season. Those growing pains are, apparently, no more.
In 10 games this season, Burns has pitched 59 innings to a 1.83 ERA. He also has 64 strikeouts, 9.8 strikeouts per nine, 2.7 walks per nine, 5.8 hits per nine, and a 0.949 WHIP. It’s a marked improvement across the board from a season ago.
He’s been even better in the Month of May. Burns has a 3-0 record and a 0.72 ERA for the Reds this month.
“I’m just taking everything I learned from last year and putting it into this year,” Burns said. “Learning about routines and how to stay healthy during the week. Midweek bullpens and stuff like. Just executing pitches, really.”
Part of what has made Burns so dominant is his combination of a 99 mph fastball with a slider to keep batters off balance. By the time they can recognize fastball, they’re too late. By the time they recognize slider, they’ve committed to swinging at a pitch they have no shot to hit.
“It’s a pretty devastating pitch,” Francona said of the slider.
The Reds are Very Much in the NL Central Hunt
GettyCincinnati Reds manager Terry Francona
Now in the middle of May, the Cincinnati Reds are in the midst of one of the tightest division races in all of MLB. The NL Central is the only division in baseball where every single team has a .500 record or better.
The Reds are in fourth place in the NL Central, with a 25-24 record. That’s not far off the pace, though, as they’re only 4.5 games behind the Milwaukee Brewers. The St. Louis Cardinals and Chicago Cubs, meanwhile, are both 0.5 games out of first place. Then, rounding up the division is the Pittsburgh Pirates at 24-24.
Of course, it’s still very early in the season. There’s plenty of time for a shakeup.
The Reds and Phillies are set to wrap up their series on Wednesday afternoon. After that, Cincinnati will travel back home to play host to the Cardinals for a weekend series.
Reds Manager Terry Francona Gives Hilarious Update on SP Chase Burns Being Hit