Bizarre Reds deadline plan might shove rookie into unfamiliar role

With the trade deadline barreling toward its final hours, the Cincinnati Reds have found themselves navigating a path unexpected. While the team’s offensive inconsistencies have been well-documented, and largely assumed to be the focal point of deadline activity — it turns out another top priority might’ve been starting pitching depth as well.

In a somewhat surprising twist, the Reds were reportedly in the mix for Minnesota Twins right-hander Chris Paddack. According to The Athletic’s C. Trent Rosecrans, (subscription required), the Reds also were one of the teams in on the bidding for Paddack.

On the surface, this might raise some eyebrows. After all, the Reds’ rotation has been their strength this season — the one area that hasn’t demanded daily triage. But their interest in Paddack sheds light on a more unconventional plan: fortify the bullpen from within by pushing one or even two current starters into relief roles.

Reds exploring bold deadline pitching move that would impact rookie Chase Burns

It’s a creative, and quite a risky maneuver. Rather than build around the stability of their current five-man rotation, the Reds were exploring a reshuffling of the deck. In theory, the addition of Paddack would give them a durable back-end starter to eat innings and give them flexibility. In practice, it could mean pushing a talented rookie like Chase Burns into an unfamiliar relief role down the stretch.

The 22-year-old flamethrower has been learning on the job with a trial-by-fire stint in the big league rotation. Over six starts, Burns is 0-3 with a 6.26 ERA, numbers that might concern some. But he’s also racked up a jaw-dropping 45 strikeouts in just 27⅓ innings. His swing-and-miss arsenal is undeniable, and while he’s been erratic at times, he’s shown flashes of dominance that have Reds fans dreaming about what could come next.

That future, however, might include a shift to the bullpen. If the Paddack pursuit had materialized, Burns was likely the odd man out, perhaps ticketed for a high-leverage bullpen role. It’s a jarring change for a rookie who’s never pitched in relief before, but perhaps one that could maximize his explosive stuff in short bursts.

In fact, it’s not hard to imagine Burns thriving in a fireman role, coming in to shut down a rally or bridge the gap to the ninth with 100 mph heat and a wipeout slider. But make no mistake: it’s still a gamble. Transitioning a young starter midseason is never easy, and with the Reds still in a delicate position in the playoff race, missteps could be costly.

This also raises questions about Cincinnati’s overall strategy. If they’re not focused on offensive upgrades, despite clear needs and instead leaning on internal arms to reshape the bullpen, are they putting too much weight on the pitching staff to carry the load again down the stretch?

Earlier this season we warned about the Reds strategy aligning with the Seattle Mariners a couple years ago. This would’ve been almost exactly that kind of strategy. The Paddack trade didn’t happen. So at least there’s no external pitcher joining the rotation yet. But the Reds’ reported interest reveals a lot about how they’re thinking. They see their rotation as something they can tweak even while it’s working.

It’s bold and unusual. And for a rookie like Burns, it could be the beginning of a new chapter he wasn’t expecting.

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