This story was excerpted from Mark Sheldon’s Reds Beat newsletter. To read the full newsletter, click here. And subscribe to get it regularly in your inbox.
WEST SACRAMENTO -- If the Reds can push their way into the postseason, could rookie Chase Burns be a 2025 version of what David Price did for the Rays during his first pro season in 2008?
Price, a starter with high velocity, was selected first overall by Tampa Bay in 2007. He zoomed through the Minors and was in the big leagues by September 2008. The left-hander was used out of the bullpen in high leverage situations by the Rays all the way into the World Series.
Reds manager Terry Francona, then the skipper of the defending World Series champion Red Sox, saw first hand how effective a weapon Price was. In the American League Championship series vs. Boston, it was Price who pitched 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief over three games and closed the deciding Game 7 with 1 1/3 innings for the save.
“The only thing I remember about David Price is I know he came in and got J.D. Drew out [with a strikeout to stop a rally in the eighth inning] to end that series,” Francona said. “I don’t know how they did it up to that point.”
Price went on to have a decorated career as a starter that included an AL Cy Young Award and five All-Star Games.
It's not uncommon for rookie starting pitchers to work out of the bullpen either to curb their innings total or just out of team necessity. Adam Wainwright, still a rookie in 2006, helped the Cardinals out of the bullpen and earned the World Series-clinching save vs. the Tigers. Garrett Crochet was a reliever for the White Sox as they reached the playoffs in the 2020 pandemic-shortened season -- the same year he was drafted.
The 22-year-old Burns, who was the second overall selection by the Reds in the 2024 Draft, pitched 100 1/3 innings as a starter in the Minors and big leagues this season to eclipse his total last year at Wake Forest.
Cincinnati's plan was to move Burns to the bullpen in August once Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo returned from the injured list. Then Burns himself went to the 15-day IL in mid-August with a Grade 1 strain of his right flexor tendon.
Burns was activated on Friday and the plan was finally executed.
“I’m excited to be back out there and try to help the boys win," said Burns before he pitched two innings during a 3-0 Reds loss to the A's. He allowed three hits, including an eighth inning solo home run by Carlos Cortes.
Compared to veteran relievers, there are restrictions to how Burns is used by Francona and pitching coach Derek Johnson. He isn't expected to work back-to-back games and it's unlikely that he would be summoned to warm up multiple times in a game.
“You know what? There’s not a playbook, really? If there is, I need to go look at it," Francona said. "I think common sense is kind of the word of the day. We’re going to try to use it to our advantage the best way we can. That’s the best way I can describe it.”
An actual innings goal for Burns has not been articulated. He has experience relieving during parts of the 2022-23 seasons for Tennessee before transferring to Wake Forest.
“I’m just going to be ready for every day," said Burns, who grew up in Tennessee like Price. "I’m sure they’ll do a great job of communicating when I’m coming in and how long I’m going.”
In nine games (eight starts) for the Reds entering Sunday, Burns is 0-3 with a 5.20 ERA. Often able to eclipse 100 mph with his four-seam fastball, he also features a tough slider and a changeup as a third pitch.
Burns can bring all of his heat, and more, to opposing hitters in the later innings and take some of the load from the arms of closer Emilio Pagán and setup men Tony Santillan and Graham Ashcraft.
“I definitely feel like you can empty the tank a little bit earlier than when I’d be starting," Burns said. “I will use all of my pitches. Whatever the game tells me to do. The game is going to show me what pitch I need to use and in what situation.”
Overall, Francona appears to have the best version of his bullpen that he's had all season.
“What we do on the field will matter but we look like we should be able to handle maybe more than we have in the past," Francona said. "We’ve been kind of killing Pagán and Santillan. Right now, hopefully, that won’t happen and we can stay in games and hopefully keep some leads.”