Chase Burns
Breakdown
Performance
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February 27, 2026
Mixed results Thursday
Burns allowed one run on two hits and two walks while striking out five over 2.1 innings in Thursday's spring start against the Padres.
Analysis
Burns' slider played well and his pitch count increased to 48 in his second Cactus League start, but his four-seamer was wayward. He threw just 26 strikes and fell behind against multiple batters. That includes the first at-bat of the third inning, when Rodolfo Duran took two four-seamers for balls before drilling a third for a home run. Burns remains in the hunt for the final spot in the rotation.
February 22, 2026
Starts spring opener
Burns walked three and did not allow a hit while striking out two over two scoreless innings as the starting pitcher in Saturday's spring opener against the Guardians.
Analysis
Reds manager Terry Francona wasted little time in getting three of the four candidates for the fifth spot in the rotation some game action. Burns, Rhett Lowder and Julian Aguiar all were used for two-inning stints in the Cactus League kickoff. Burns overcame a couple of four-pitch walks in the first inning and a two-out walk in the second while working his pitch count up to 37 (15 strikes). He used a new in-development changeup to induce a weak flyout to center field. "My changeup was really good. It gives me a lot of confidence," Burns told Mark Sheldon of MLB.com after the contest. Working on secondary pitches have been a focus for Burns in early in camp as the right-hander looks to expand an arsenal that includes a four-seamer, slider and sinker.
