Chase Burns is putting pressure on Reds front office to rethink their rotation plans

The Cincinnati Reds are not in trouble yet, but soon enough, they will need to make some tough decisions regarding the starting rotation.

There's plenty of talent among the staff, whether it's Nick Lodolo, Hunter Greene, Andrew Abbott, or Chase Burns. At some point, however, the Reds front office will need to decide which arms to hang on to, and which ones to let loose.

Although Greene was an All-Star last season and Lodolo has been tremendous in 2025, the smarter play for Cincinnati might be to focus on keeping Burns and Abbott over the long haul.

Chase Burns is putting pressure on Reds front office to rethink their rotation plans

Greene has yet to show durability throughout his Major League career, and that's a clear cause for concern. Though he's on a very team-friendly deal, the Reds front office can't continue to rely on him to be the team's ace if he can't stay healthy.

Injuries plagued Greene in 2022 and 2023, and despite his All-Star campaign in 2024, he hit the injured list with right elbow soreness. This season, Greene's currently on the IL while battling a groin injury. Every year, Greene's found his way onto the IL, which should have the Reds proceeding with caution regarding their long-term plans for the rotation's hierarchy.

Lodolo, who has been electric this year, is arbitration eligible in 2026 and becomes a free agent after 2027. Considering the number of young pitchers in the organization, Lodolo's long-term future with the team could be in question. But make no mistake, Reds fans would love to keep him around following his breakout year.

As for Abbott, he doesn't become arbitration eligible until 2027, and is not a free agent until after the 2029. The Reds should make every attempt to lock up their All-Star starter at some point during the offseason.

Through his first five starts, Burns has recorded a pair of double-digit strikeout performances, all while showing that he can compete against some of the best teams. There's no need to put that pressure on Burns just yet as the future face of the rotation, but if Cincinnati believes he's the future of the rotation, following the same path they did with Greene and signing him to a team-friendly extension could be a wise investment.

At one time, it looked as though Greene, Lodolo, and Graham Ashcraft were the future of the Reds' starting rotation, That honor may have now shifted to Abbott, Burns, and they're fortunate, Rhett Lowder.

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