Cincinnati Reds starting pitcher Chase Burns will be seeing a change over the final month of the regular season.
The Cincinnati Reds lost Monday's series opener against the San Diego Padres by a final score of 5-0. The offense went quiet as it so often has this year in what has been a step backward as an organization.
The Reds are all but mathematically eliminated from postseason contention. However, if there is any hope for the future in Cincinnati it is the talent their young core possesses. On the pitching side, right-hander Chase Burns has fully broken out in his sophomore season.
Burns' first year in the big leagues saw him struggle with command while bouncing in and out of a relief and starter's role. This year not only has he stuck in the rotation, but he has established himself as the clear ace in Hunter Greene's absence.
Across 26 starts the 23-year-old has posted a 2.79 ERA, 1.156 WHIP, 15-3 record and 171 strikeouts across 145 1/3 innings of work.
He earned his first career All-Star selection and is here to stay, having signed a seven-year, $105 million contract extension in July that buys out two years of free agency and keeps him with the club through the 2033 season.
Given Burns' long-term importance to the organization, the Reds made a decision on Monday that reflects how much they value protecting him.
"Reds starter Chase Burns will begin an innings limit starting next Monday. Brandon Williamson is slotted to come in after Burns and take over from there," reported Charlie Clifford of NBC 5 Cincinnati.
While the innings limit is disappointing for fans who want to see Burns pitch deep into games, it makes complete sense. Burns has never thrown this many innings in a single season throughout his entire career including college.
Him throwing 145 1/3 innings this year is uncharted territory for his right arm, an arm that delivers elite velocity and is the foundation of everything that makes him effective at the big-league level.
In an attempt to protect it and build his workload up gradually over time, the Reds made the responsible call. Left-hander Brandon Williamson, who is returning from the 60-day injured list, will come in after Burns and handle multiple innings given his experience as a starter.
It is a smart plan that prioritizes the long-term health of a pitcher Cincinnati is counting on to be their ace for the next decade, and for a team in a lost season, that is exactly the right approach.
