Why Reds Fans Shouldn't Worry About Chase Burns After One Rough Outing

The Cincinnati Reds have one of the best pitching rotations in baseball when they're healthy. But as of now, they're missing Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo, two of their best three pitchers. These injuries have handicapped the Reds a little bit, but their staff has still been solid.

Rhett Lowder was dominant through two starts before struggling in his third start. Andrew Abbott has been competitive across the board. Brady Singer has been solid, though he struggled last time out, too. Young flamethrower Chase Burns was also dominant in his first two starts before struggling on Friday night against the Los Angeles Angels.

Chase Burns Struggled Against the Angels on Friday

Apr 10, 2026; Cincinnati, Ohio, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) walks off the field after being lifted during the game against the Los Angeles Angels in the sixth inning at Great American Ball Park. Mandatory Credit: Aaron Doster-Imagn Images | Aaron Doster-Imagn Images

Burns was tagged with seven hits, five earned runs, and four walks across 5 1/3 innings. His stuff was electric, as it always is, but the swing and miss wasn't there. The Angels seemed to have a good game plan, hunting the fastball while trying to foul off the slider.

This led to multiple long at-bats that turned into walks. A few Angels punished home runs off Burns, too, which is rare for the young Reds pitcher. There were even a few long fly balls that resulted in outs.

But Reds fans shouldn't panic about Burns. He's still one of the best pitchers in the National League. He still has the potential to be an ace in the near future.

Brent Maguire of MLB.com recently shared a lot of high praise for Burns, joining a long list of MLB analysts who think very highly of the Reds' young star.

Chase Burns is Still a Star, Reds Fans Shouldn't Be Worried

"Burns, the No. 2 pick in the 2024 Draft, flashed immense upside in last year’s debut season, when he struck out 67 batters in 43 1/3 innings," Maguire wrote. "Despite a 4.57 ERA, his underlying numbers suggested he was rather unfortunate, and we’ve seen those positive outcomes come to fruition this year. In his first two starts, Burns allowed one run in 11 innings, while striking out 16 batters and generating whiffs on 44.4 percent of swings against him.

"Burns’ 98.5 mph four-seamer is complemented by a devastating low-90s slider, which has produced a gaudy 56.3 percent whiff rate, while he mixes in an occasional changeup. Burns might be on an innings limit this year, but on a per-inning basis, he could be one of baseball’s most exciting pitchers."

Burns' ability to generate swing and miss is one of the best traits in his game. He didn't have his best stuff on Friday night. That's baseball. That's how the game works. When a pitcher makes 25 to 30 starts in a season, there are going to be some rough outings. Abbott, Lodolo, and Greene have all suffered some poor performances, too. Reigning Cy Young winners Paul Skenes and Tarik Skubal have struggled in a few of their outings this season.

Either way, it's important to understand that Burns is still one of the best players on the Reds. He's going to be a staple of their rotation for a long time.

Make sure you bookmark Cincinnati Reds Talk for the latest news, exclusive interviews, and daily coverage of the Cincinnati Reds! Follow Cincinnati Reds OnSI on Twitter/X: @RedsTalkSI. Like Our Cincinnati Reds On SI Facebook Page. Follow Cincinnati Reds On SI on Instagram.