Reds Flamethrower Chase Burns Only Getting Better With Each Start

The Cincinnati Reds were one of the best teams in baseball during the first month of the season, but they quickly lost eight games in a row to crush the spirits of the entire fanbase.

During this losing streak, the most promising loss came against the Pittsburgh Pirates when Reds starter Chase Burns twirled seven scoreless innings, but the Reds failed to score, and they lost 1-0 after Tony Santillan surrendered a singular run in the eighth inning.

Chase Burns Was Dominant Again On Saturday

Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings. | Sam Greene/The Enquirer / USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images

After nearly halting the Reds' losing streak before it could get rolling, Burns was the man who finally led the Reds to a win on Saturday, tossing six innings of one-run baseball.

"Like a lot of good pitchers, he kind of has the ability to be his own reliever," manager Terry Francona said about Burns, per Reds reporter Charlie Goldsmith. "I'm not saying — he doesn't have a lot of Major League starts — but I used to say that about Verlander all the time. He had another great (outing). He showed it."

Burns, known for his strikeouts, only recorded two strikeouts on Saturday. Burns only registered nine swinging strikes in the game.

"I maybe didn't have the swing and miss stuff that I wanted, but I was dialing in and hitting spots," Burns said.

While strikeouts and whiffs have made Burns the highlight pitcher that he is, it's not the only way he gets outs. His slider wasn't located too well during the game against the Astros, and Burns knows it.

"(Trevino) told me (this) today," Burns said. "Every time I threw a slider, I felt like I didn't get it down enough. He said, don't be mad because you're getting outs. I'm trying to go out there and put zeros on the board. That's the game."

Despite the lack of whiffs, Burns has still been incredible.

Chase Burns Quietly Putting Himself in the NL Cy Young Race

May 9, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns (26) prepares to pitch against the Houston Astros in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Katie Stratman-Imagn Images | Katie Stratman-Imagn Images

Burns' outing on Saturday lowered his season ERA to 2.11 and his season WHIP to 1.04. He's 4-1 for the Reds with 48 strikeouts and 16 walks in 47 innings.

Burns' whiff rate, swinging strike rate, zone contact rate, xwOBA, wOBA, and strikeout rate all rank among the best pitchers in baseball.

He ranks third in the National League in ERA, sixth in the NL in wins, eighth in the NL in strikeouts, and 12th in the NL in WHIP. If he continues in this direction, as all the advanced metrics would indicate, the Reds could have a Cy Young candidate on their hands with Burns.

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