Burns continues to pile up K's, but top prospect has bigger ambitions

CINCINNATI -- Chase Burns has had no trouble racking up the strikeouts for the Reds. But wins have been tough to come by for the rookie starting pitcher and baseball's No. 2 overall prospect, who has already encountered some of the game's top opponents.

The latest tough task pitted Burns against the defending World Series champion Dodgers. The 22-year-old struck out 10 batters for his third straight start as Cincinnati (56-51) was handed a 5-2 defeat at Great American Ball Park on Monday that snapped a four-game winning streak.

“We’re trying to build for the future with him and win now with him," manager Terry Francona said. "I think the kid is doing a really good job. I really do. I think his future is so bright because there’s going to be things he does better. But in the meantime, we’ll take it.”

Over 5 2/3 innings, Burns gave up three earned runs on six hits with one walk while throwing 91 pitches (65 strikes). His fastball reached 100 mph or more 12 times.

“I thought he was terrific. He didn’t back down," Francona said. "He yanked a couple of pitches, which can happen. He didn’t field his position, he just made a mistake and fortunately, that didn’t cost us. But he challenged them and there are some pretty good hitters in that lineup. He did OK.”

In six big league starts as a fill-in for injured starter Hunter Greene, Burns is 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA. The Reds are 1-5 in those games, with the one win coming against the Yankees in extra innings during his June 24 debut. The right-hander has also faced the Red Sox, Phillies, Rockies, Nationals and, of course, the Dodgers.

Burns joined Raisel Iglesias (2015) as the only two Reds pitchers in at least 125 years with 10 strikeouts in three straight starts. He is also the fifth Major Leaguer with at least 10 strikeouts in three of his first six Major League starts -- along with Masahiro Tanaka (’14), Mark Prior (’02), Fernando Valenzuela (1981) and Bob Feller ('36).

“The numbers don’t show, but it’s been really fun to go through the process and learn," said Burns, who has struck out 45 batters in 27 1/3 innings.

Against the Dodgers in the top of the first inning, Burns gave up a Mookie Betts leadoff double and a one-out RBI double to Teoscar Hernández before striking out Freddie Freeman and Andy Pages with fastballs. After walking Michael Conforto to open the Los Angeles second, Burns struck out the side -- including Dalton Rushing with a 100.6 mph fastball.

“You’ve just got to bounce back," Burns said of those two innings. "That’s a good lineup. You can’t dwell on it. You just have to go back out there and attack.”

It was a 1-1 game with one out in the fifth inning when Los Angeles took the lead on Shohei Ohtani's two-run double to center field.

Burns' 10th strikeout came with bad luck since Michael Conforto was able to reach on a passed ball. Hyeseong Kim hit a grounder towards the mound but Burns made a bad throw past first base for an error that wouldn't haunt later. After getting the second out, he was lifted from the game.

"He hasn’t had any rollover lineup," Reds designated hitter Gavin Lux said. "I think he’s competed and he’s done really well and his stuff plays anywhere. It’s been fun to watch him just go out there and compete, because he’s got a really bright future and he’s just got to keep going. He’s just going to keep getting better, which is the really cool part.”

Getting through a lineup for the third time around remains on the list of challenges ahead for Burns.

“He needs innings. We certainly have to keep an eye on that also," Francona said. "But for his development, everything he sees, we kind of ask him, ‘Just keep learning. Learn fast.’ And he seems to be doing that.”

Said Burns: “You don’t have time to sit up here and learn slow, honestly. Boys want a playoff push and I want to be a part of that. I have to go out there and perform.”

Among the opposing hitters Burns has faced thus far in the big leagues: Aaron Judge, Cody Bellinger, Paul Goldschmidt, Bryce Harper, Kyle Schwarber, Betts, Ohtani and Freddie Freeman.

All except Schwarber have won an MVP Award.

“It’s why I play the game," Burns said. "I dreamed of playing and facing these guys like that, going against a lineup like that. I am having a lot of fun. I’m blessed to be up here and I just want to keep learning and getting better.”