Reds: Pitcher Chase Burns discusses MLB debut vs. New York Yankees
Reds rookie pitcher Chase Burns discussed his MLB debut, which is scheduled for June 24 at Great American Ball Park against the New York Yankees.
The sample size is small but you could definitely say the Cincinnati Reds responded well to the club’s recent high-profile personnel moves.
Since losing to the St. Louis Cardinals on Saturday, the Reds made two major moves, designating Jeimer Candelario for assignment and calling up highly-rated rookie pitcher Chase Burns for his MLB debut Tuesday.
From that point on, the Reds salvaged the final game of the St. Louis series on Sunday and opened this week’s series against the American League East division-leading New York Yankees on Monday with a 6-1 victory. The series-opening win over the Yankees at Great American Ball Park, played before a crowd of 31,418, came after New York slugger Aaron Judge walloped a home run nearly 400 feet in the first inning for a 1-0 lead.
By night’s end, Judge had been upstaged by Elly De La Cruz, who ended the night a double shy of a cycle with three hits, three RBI, two runs scored and no strikeouts.
Maybe it’s a coincidence. Then again, maybe the team is showing its awareness of the moves, which are viewed as win-now propositions by the Cincinnati front office.
On Monday, Judge christened the game with his left-field blast off Reds starter Nick Lodolo.
The Reds fired back with three runs in the fourth inning. De La Cruz rocketed a ball off the center field wall and then roared around the bases for a triple, which allowed Matt McLain to score from first base even after holding up at second base to make certain the ball wasn’t caught.
De La Cruz would later score on a Spencer Steer sacrifice fly, and Gavin Lux capped the inning with a solo home run onto the netting over the visitors’ bullpen in right field.
An inning later and with the bases loaded, De La Cruz singled to drive in one run for 4-1.
Making his season debut, Yankees starter Allan Winans was knocked out of the game two batters prior to De La Cruz’s RBI single. Winans went 4 1/3 innings and allowed four earned runs on five hits.
Lodolo also went 4 1/3 innings but was effective in scattering the six hits he allowed. Then, Cincinnati’s bullpen took over the game. Scott Barlow went 1 2/3 innings, Nick Martinez (one inning), Tony Santillan (one inning) and Emilio Pagán (one inning), who stayed on 18 saves for the season after the Reds swelled their lead in the eighth inning.
Pagán remains two saves shy of his career high of 20, which he achieved in 2019 with the Tampa Bay Rays.
In the eighth inning, Santillan allowed a bloop hit for a double to Cody Bellinger, and then a walk versus Judge. But with runners on first and second, Santillan struck out Giancarlo Stanton and Jazz Chisholm, and induced a ground-out by Anthony Volpe.
Martinez was available out of the bullpen as he wasn’t scheduled for his next start until Friday at Great American Ball Park against the San Diego Padres.
In the bottom of the eighth, De La Cruz put a cap on his memorable evening when he cranked a solo home run 362 feet to right field. The hit was measured at 99 mph off De La Cruz’s bat.
Later in the at-bat, former Yankees catcher Jose Trevino logged an infield single that allowed Steer to score.
On Tuesday, Burns will be opposed by Yankees lefty Carlos Rodon (9-5, 3.10 ERA). First pitch is scheduled for 7:10 p.m.