I do not know if the Cincinnati Reds have a season that is capable of salvage. What I do know, though, is that if it is to be salvaged, it will come on the backs of their select few superstars, of which Chase Burns leads the pack.
The electric 23 year old has already compiled 4.3 bWAR through the team’s first 90 games of the 2026 season, doing so with an absurd mix of 99 mph heat and a slider that bends minds more than Timothy Leary. The All Star has somehow managed to go 10 and 1, too, despite Cincinnati’s otherwise dismal 41-49 record, an indication that he’s been the stopper the team needs (even though nobody else has been able to pick up their slack).
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Burns will start for the Reds on Wednesday night in Great American Ball Park in the second game of the series against the Philadelphia Phillies. The series has already seen an ace go to work as Zack Wheeler wiped the floor with Cincinnati hitters during Tuesday night’s 4-1 Phillies win, and the hope on Cincinnati’s side is that Burns can return the favor in his start.
First pitch is set for 7:00 PM ET on ESPN. It will be the final scheduled appearance for Burns before the All Star break.
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