Chase Burns Reflects on Rookie Season, Sends Exciting Message About What's Next

Burns had a fantastic rookie season.

Sep 18, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws against the Chicago Cubs in the first inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chase Burns's 2026 season for the Cincinnati Reds did not end the way he wanted. But he recently shared his thoughts on his breakout sophomore season.

Breakout Year

There's no other way to say it: Chase Burns has been awesome in 2026. A first-time All-Star in 2026, Burns went 15-3 with a 2.86 ERA and 185 strikeouts over 154.1 innings. Because the Reds were limiting him down the stretch to protect his arm, he only pitched three innings in each of his past three starts.

The abundance of caution stems from the fact that he was well past the career-high innings that he set last year. The Reds' first-round pick in the 2024 MLB Draft, Burns pitched 109.1 combined innings in the Majors and Minors in 2025, his first professional season.

Burns' Thoughts on His Season

Sep 7, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Dodgers during the first inning at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Chase Burns spoke to the Reds beat writer Mark Sheldon recently to talk about his 2026 seasonright after it was announced that he was going to be placed on the 15-day Injured List.

“It’s not how I wanted it to end,” Burns told Shelton. “But looking back and seeing how much growth and progress I made -- going from not even knowing if I was going to make the roster out of camp to being here and having a pretty successful season -- I think it’s gone a good way, and I’m excited for next year.”

It definitely was a pretty successful season in 2026; he should receive some Cy Young votes, and he also earned a pretty nice extension. Burns was signed to a seven-year, $105 million contract in July that guarantees he will be in Cincinnati for a while and at the top of the Reds' rotation long-term.

Burns managed his 2026 season without any major injuries. Although he is ending his season on the IL, he has a very positive outlook and has some inspiring goals going into 2027.

“The sky’s the limit. Going for another All-Star, Cy Young, I just want to help the team out as much as possible.”

This is a very welcome thought for Reds fans, as the 2026 Reds season is all but done. We can look forward to another excellent season for Chase Burns next season.

In a lost Reds season in 2026, it was a delight to see Chase Burns take the ball every five days and put on a show.

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