MILWAUKEE – Two starts into this innings-limit plan down the stretch Cincinnati Reds’All-Star pitcher Chase Burnsstill hasn’t gotten any more used to the early hooks. But he buys into the designed benefit behind it.
“It’s hard. Three innings. I was feeling good today,” he said. “But I’m happy with where I’m at and the growth. Just trying to get these last couple starts in and having this full season behind me.”
After a scoreless start without a hit six days earlier against the Dodgers, Burns (15-3, 2.80) gave up two runs on a one-out home run by Joey Ortiz in the second inning of the Reds’ 4-3 victory over the Brewers on Sunday (Sept. 13).
Like he did
against the Dodgers, he struck out five Brewers in this one but also gave up three walks.
“I walked too many. I was trying to be too perfect, trying to chase the swing and miss,” he said.
Of course, that’s especially tempting when a young pitcher knows he’ll only be in the game for 50 pitches or so (56 on this day).
The last time he pitched in Milwaukee, he pitched six innings and beat Brewers ace Jacob Misiorowski 7-2 in July.
Asked if he was satisfied with how the plan with Burns is going, manager Terry Francona said, “I don’t know if satisfied is the right word because I don’t ever like taking him out of the game. It’s the right thing to do. It’s a hard thing to do.
“He’s going to get a lot out of this.”
That’s what Burns seemed to be focused on as his career-high innings total reached 151 1/3 over 28 starts.
If the plan holds, he’ll wind up with 30 starts this season.
“That’s huge,” he said. “We have no clue what’s gonna happen next year (with a labor lockout). So for my first full in the bigs just to get all those starts and know what it feels like for the next couple years (is big).”
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Reds, Francona sticking to 'hard' workload-limit plan for Chase Burns
