Chase Burns Leads Cincinnati Reds to Big Win Over Philadelphia Phillies

The Reds ended their losing streak as Chase Burns dazzled in his 6th win of the season.

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The Cincinnati Reds are in desperate need of good outings by their starting pitchers, and they got one on Tuesday night. Outside of a solo home run by Trea Turner, Chase Burns was unstoppable. He went six innings, allowing one run on three hits. He struck out a season-high nine batters.

The Reds' offense couldn't get much going against Jesus Luzardo, but some good situational hitting allowed them to hold onto the lead. Elly De La Cruz's bases-loaded walk, a pair of sac flies by JJ Bleday and Dane Myers, and a fielder's choice RBI for McLain were enough for the victory.

Here our takeaways from the Reds 4-1 win over the Philadelphia Phillies:

JJ Bleday Bolsters The Offense Once Again

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For a guy that didn't make the Opening Day roster, JJ Bleday sure has made his mark.

He has now hit safely in six of his last nine games, as he went 1-3 with a sac fly and a double that sparked a 2-run 7th inning.

It can't be overstated how important having consistency at the plate is for this roster, and Bleday has given the Reds exactly that. With the absence of Eugenio Suarez, Bleday has stepped up as one of the key run producers on this team. He is hitting nearly .300 with an on-base percentage over .400, as well as contributing 13 extra-base hits and 20 RBI.

In only 21 games this season, Bleday has proven to be a valuable commodity.

Chase Burns Cruises Past Phillies

May 19, 2026; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Philadelphia Phillies at Citizens Bank Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Hartline-Imagn Images | Eric Hartline-Imagn Images

The second overall pick of the 2024 draft has lived up to the hype and has carried this starting rotation on his back so far this season.

With several of the key pitchers in this rotation missing time, Burns has been the backbone of this team. His ERA falls to 1.83 after allowing only one run tonight. His nine strikeouts tied his season high, which he has now accomplished three times this season.

He has struck out 7-plus batters in seven of his ten starts, as well as going 6-plus innings in seven of his ten starts. It has been incredible to watch him dominate Major League hitting. The confidence and poise that he has shown is that of a 10-year Major League veteran.

With Abbott struggling and Greene missing significant time, he is the current ace of this staff. There is a legitimate shot that he could be an NL All-Star in a few months.

His ERA is fifth best in all of Major League Baseball, and he is in the top 10 in strikeouts. He was never in danger tonight and has now allowed only two runs in his last 25 innings pitched.

Look for him to keep it rolling in his next start.

Ke'Bryan Hayes Continues to Struggle

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A win is a win, and there is no reason to dwell on the negatives, but there is a major problem at the bottom of this lineup.

Two months into the season, Hayes has yet to figure it out. His bat is woeful. As he hit into his second double play of the game, an audibly frustrated John Sadak sounded off about how inexcusable it is at this point to not have more answers.

Hayes is hitting .144 for the season and .171 over his last 15 games. There isn't a way to hide the fact that he can't hit a baseball. There is no doubt that he is a superb defender. However, there is just no explanation to let him see any more at-bats. He now has a team high of five double plays on the year and he isn't showing any signs of improving.

His third at-bat came with the bases loaded. To be fair, he didn't hit into a double play. It was just a fielder's choice routine groundout that didn't score a run.

If the Reds are serious about their chances of winning for the remainder of this season, the bottom of the lineup cannot continue to be this bad.

Up next, the Reds and Phillies meet in the rubber match at 1:05 pm tomorrow in Philadelphia. It will be Andrew Abbott vs Aaron Nola.