Chase Burns

Chase Burns flashed frontline bat-missing ability in his 2025 debut, posting a dominant 35.6% strikeout rate and 13.9 K/9 across 43.1 innings for Cincinnati. His 2.65 FIP sat nearly two runs below his 4.57 ERA, driven by a manageable 2.7% HR rate and elite swing-and-miss stuff, but a .364 BABIP and 45.7% hard-hit rate created volatility in the small sample. Burns' 8.5% walk rate was reasonable for a 22-year-old power arm, though his 0.56 GB/FB ratio suggests he'll need to sharpen command to limit damage in homer-friendly environments. Looking ahead to 2026, the projections lean into the strikeout upside while forecasting some ERA regression toward his underlying metrics as he secures a steadier rotation role. If the workload climbs into a full-season starter's range, Burns profiles as a high-K SP with ratios that may fluctuate week to week. In fantasy, he's best deployed as an upside SP3/SP4 in mixed leagues, with legitimate breakout potential if the command tightens and the batted-ball profile stabilizes.

Chase Burns (elbow) activated from IL

The Cincinnati Reds activated Chase Burns from the 15-day injured list on Thursday.

Fantasy Impact

After throwing two simulated games last week and a bullpen session on Tuesday, Burns is ready to return to action. He will initially pitch out of the bullpen, likely in a long-relief role.