Reds' Chase Burns Proving He Was the Right Pick as All-Star Case Grows in June 2026

The Cincinnati Reds picked up a massive series-clinching win over the New York Yankees on Sunday. One of the biggest reasons behind that win was the performance of starting pitcher Chase Burns.

Burns' development this season is incredible. His first season was cut short in 2025 due to innings limits, but this season he has stepped up and has earned the role of ace in the Reds' rotation.

He's Making A Serious Case To Start The All-Star Game

Jun 9, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) delivers during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

On the season, Burns is 9-1 with a 2.00 ERA and has been relied upon to be the pitcher that puts an end to a bad stretch of games, and he has done that more times than not. On Sunday, Burns went five innings with five hits, three walks, seven strikeouts, and just one earned run.

"I think he's a really smart kid to boot." Manager Terry Francona said postgame on Burns. "He's aware of everything. I think one of our challenges is not giving him too much. The Yankees are so good right now with the way they run and steal bases. If you give him too much, he can forget about pitching. You just try not to give him too much and overwhelm him."

Burns is one of the best pitchers in the National League. The more obvious candidate to start for the National League All-Star team is Philadelphia's Christopher Sanchez. He held a 50 2/3-inning scoreless streak and is among the leaders in every pitching category. Burns is right there with the best of them. He's top five in ERA, second in wins (9), 11th in innings pitched (85 2/3), fourth in strikeouts (102), and sixth in WHIP (1.05).

All-Star Chase Burns

Burns will most likely earn a spot on this year's All-Star team. He's been one of the leaders of this Reds' rotation and has stepped up in eye-catching fashion. He has shown that time and time again this season, and Sunday's performance was just another testament to his ability to lead this team.

"He was 96 (miles per hour) after five (innings)," Francona said. "Some of that's not Chase, some of that's the Yankees. There's not a lot of chase in that lineup. I do think there are hitters that he's going to learn when you get to the bottom of the order, and he walked the nine-hitter with a 3-2 breaking ball. He'll learn that as he goes and he is now, but he kept them off the board except for one."

Over his last five starts, Burns is 5-0 with a 1.86 ERA, 54 strikeouts, and 13 walks. That's a 1.06 WHIP in his last 38 2/3 innings pitched.

Burns was the Reds' first-round pick in the 2024 draft, second overall behind Cleveland's Travis Bazzana, and has developed far quicker than the Reds could have hoped for. With Hunter Greene's return coming in the next week or so, the pressure can loosen a bit, and he can continue his development. Many, including myself, were surprised by the pick in 2024, but he has proven that he was the right pick.

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