Turns out Chase Burns’ innings got limited even more than the Cincinnati Redsplanned.
The team’s rising young ace, who signed a $105 million contract extension in the days after his first All-Star appearance, has been shut down ahead of what would have been a final, three-inning start during the last road trip of the season.
Burns, 23, reported soreness in his right groin after pitching the opener of a series against the Cubs over the weekend.
“It’s not how I wanted it to end,” said Burns, who finishes with a 15-3 record and 2.86 ERA.
“But looking back and seeing how much growth and progress I’ve made – going from not even knowing if I was going to make the roster
out of camp to being here and having a pretty successful season – it’s gone a good way,” he said, “and I’m excited for next year.”
Burns flirted with Cy Young contention before the club plotted out a workload-limit plan for the final month of his first full season in the majors. He finishes with 154 1/3 innings in 29 starts.
“We’re being very cautious,” manager Terry Francona said. “I think it makes sense to not push him for a three-inning start in Atlanta or Toronto. So his year is over. He did a really, really good job.
“And we got him to the point where next year however he pitches he pitches. It’s not going to be determined by, ‘we’ve got to be careful with this or (that).’ “
Burns said “it sucks” not reaching the 30-start mark.
“But then, again, this is precautionary,” he said. “I feel like the season went exactly how it could have been (ideally), with just the growth and learning from last year. And I’m ready to get back to work next year.”
His next start figures to come in the Reds’ season opener, March 25, against the Cardinals at Great American Ball Park (assuming the owners’ labor war doesn’t cost an on-time start to the season).
Carson Spiers, who missed a year recovering and rehabbing from Tommy John surgery, was called up to join the bullpen for the final week of the season after having returned to the mound in minor-league games this summer.
To make room on the 40-man roster, longtime Reds center fielder TJ Friedl was designated for assignment just one day after the team optioned him to Triple-A.
Burns, the No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 draft, said he feels the physical weight of pitching every fifth or sixth day through essentially a full big-league season and piling up a career-high in innings by 45.
That previous career high was recorded over multiple minor-league levels and the big leagues during a 2025 rookie season in which he debuted with an eight-strikeout performance over five innings (without a walk) against the New York Yankees in June.
“You’re not gonna feel great every time you go out and pitch,” he said, “so just kind of learning through that, I kind of have to pat myself on the back. I’m excited for next year just knowing what I can do now.”
As for what he has in mind for next year, it might be similar to the kind of visions a lot of people who watched him this season might have in mind.
“The sky’s the limit,” Burns said. “It’s exactly what you think. Going for another All-Star, a Cy Young. I just want to help the team out as much as possible.”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Cincinnati Reds shut down young ace Chase Burns for groin strain
