Chase Petty has a chance to change the narrative Reds fans still remember

Most baseball players never forget their Major League debut, and that goes double for Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Petty. Unfortunately, the memory of his first Major League start is not a positive one.

Petty was the Reds' starter for a doubleheader against the St. Louis Cardinals in late-April of 2025. He's a confident and fiery young pitcher, and that was evident during his debut last season.

Regrettably, the right-hander only lasted into the third inning after the Cardinals hitters tattoo'd him over just 2⅓ innings pitched. Petty faced 16 batters and gave up for nine runs on seven hits. He struck out three, walked two, and allowed two home runs. It was a night to forget the former first-round pick.

Petty was given another opportunity to showcase his talents a little less than two weeks later. Unfortunately, the narrative was eerily similar. He struck out four over three innings in a game against the Houston Astros, but walked six and allowed four runs on six hits. He threw 90 pitches and was lifted before recording an out in the fourth inning.

Reds pitcher Chase Petty has shot at redemption vs. Cubs

Petty now has the opportunity to start fresh this season with his first Major League start of 2026 scheduled for Monday night at Wrigley Field. The Reds placed left-handed pitcher Brandon Williamson on the injured list with shoulder fatigue, and Petty will be Cincinnati's spot starter against the Chicago Cubs.

This is not the ideal situation for Petty's 2026 debut. The first-place Cubs are 14-5 at home this season and have one of the most potent lineups in all of Major League Baseball. Chicago hitters have mashed all season.

The North Siders have 44 home runs on the year and a collective .783 OPS. The Cubs lead the league in walks, meaning Petty will have to be in the strike zone in order to be effective. He's walked 10.4% of the the opposing hitters he's faced at Triple-A this season, and free passes have been a constant bugaboo for the right-hander since ascending to the upper minor leagues in 2024.

Petty just turned 23 years old, so there's still plenty of runway for him to find success in the big leagues. If he's victorious over the Cubs, all of the sudden the Reds have another young arm to be excited about. But if he flounders, Cincinnati's brass may decide to alter his role going forward — much they did with former starters Connor Phillips, Graham Ahscraft, and Tony Santillan.

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