Right-hander Chase Burns, the No. 2 pick in last summer's amateur draft, will be seeking his first major league victory in his second career start on Monday when the Cincinnati Reds open a three-game series at the Boston Red Sox.
Burns, 22, allowed three runs in five innings against the New York Yankees last Tuesday during his major league debut. He struck out the first five batters he faced and left the game trailing 3-0, but the Reds battled back and won 5-4 in 11 innings. Burns gave up six hits and recorded eight strikeouts.
Burns (0-0, 5.40 ERA) spent two seasons at Tennessee and went 10-1 with a 2.70 ERA in 16 starts at Wake Forest in 2024.
Burns will be facing a Boston team that has lost seven of its last eight games and dropped two of three against Toronto over the weekend. The Red Sox were 3-for-11 with runners in scoring position during Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays.
"You have to cash in," Boston manager Alex Cora said. "We had our chances. The line was actually moving today. I thought the quality of the at-bats were good. We just didn't cash in."
The Reds enter the series with some momentum, thanks to Sunday's come-from-behind 3-2 victory over San Diego. Cincinnati entered the bottom of the ninth trailing 2-1 but tied the game and then got a bases-loaded single from Will Benson that drove in Gavin Lux with the game-winning run.
"Obviously, once that momentum and that ball starts rolling, you kind of start looking forward to your opportunity, your chance, and we did it," Benson said. "I'm looking for an opportunity just to help the team. ... Obviously, bases loaded with the game on the line -- that's obviously a great feeling. It fires me up."
The Reds have won six of their last seven series.
"We kind of bent a little bit but we didn't break, and we kept it where it was (2-1)," Cincinnati manager Terry Francona said. "So, we had a chance. So often you're thinking in the dugout, ‘If we just get the tying run or the winning run to the plate.' You're not gonna win all the time, but at least you give yourself a chance.
"I always think we're gonna win. It's just a lot more fun when you do."
Cincinnati hitters will get a look at one of the best in the game Monday, as Boston ace Garrett Crochet (7-4, 2.06) is scheduled to start. Crochet is 0-1 with a 6.43 in seven innings over four career appearances against the Reds. Three of those appearances came in relief.
Boston reliever Zack Kelly left Sunday's 5-3 loss to the Blue Jays with what the team called right oblique tightness in the sixth inning. Kelly entered the game in the fifth. He is scheduled to have an MRI on Monday.
"Just tight," Cora said. "Hopefully nothing serious."
The Red Sox will likely have rookie Marcelo Mayer back in the lineup Monday. Mayer went on the bereavement list Friday and didn't play in the three-game series against Toronto, but Cora said he expected Mayer to be back with the team for the opener against Cincinnati.
