As Reds star pitcher Chase Burns approached the 100-pitch mark during the sixth inning of his win against the Cubs at Wrigley Field, Reds analyst Jeff Brantley said during NBC's Sunday Night Baseball broadcast that Burns was making his final "real start" of the 2026 season.
"You have to take into consideration this is his last real start of 2026," Brantley said. "Because after this, it is going to be kid gloves and short, maybe three-inning stints, and that's it. And even in this spot ... (Francona) has really not let him get into a situation where he is having to go to the extra part of the tank right around that 100-pitch mark. Because you're looking at an injury situation, and you just don't want that to happen."
"Everybody in that Reds' dugout
knew this was the last real start for Chase Burns," Brantley added as Burns left the game. "In front of a packed house on Sunday Night Baseball, just gettin' it."
"I don't think there's any reasonable expectation that he's gonna finish the year in the rotation," Brantley said of Burns in July.
Earlier in Sunday night's broadcast, Brantley shared a joke about fantasy football and former Red Tommy Pham.
Chase pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing two earned runs on six hits and a walk with seven strikeouts. His ERA is 2.79.
This article originally appeared on Cincinnati Enquirer: Jeff Brantley says Chase Burns made his last 'real start' of 2026
