Reds' bombshell Chase Burns contract news now creates Sal Stewart discussion

The Cincinnati Reds have reportedly come to terms with their newfound ace, Chase Burns. According ESPN's Jeff Passan, the two sides have agreed to a seven-year, $105 million contract that will keep the All-Star in Cincinnati through the 2033 season.

This news will have Reds fans — who've watched every other NL Central team lock up their young stars — jumping off the ceiling. The fireballer has quickly cemented himself as a bonafide star during his second year in the big leagues, and the Reds now have the 1-2 punch of Burns and Hunter Greene penciled in atop the rotation through 2029.

Chase Burns' extension gives Reds the blueprint for new Sal Stewart contract

With Burns now under contract for the foreseeable future, the focus within the Reds' front office should shift to the team's other All-Star, Sal Stewart. The Reds' rookie has already talked about wanting to carve out a niche for himself in the city of Cincinnati, and it's time for the Castellini's to pony up for their budding young star.

Reds fans were furiously calling for the front office to sign Stewart earlier this season after his fiery start to his rookie campaign saw him take home NL Player of the Month honors for March/ April. Though his bat cooled off a little after the calendar flipped to May, Stewart regained his stroke and leads this Reds team in a number of key offensive categories.

The Reds (presumably) already missed their negotiating window with superstar shortstop Elly De La Cruz. After debuting in 2023, De La Cruz has gone on to become a mega-star and is just three-and-a-half years away from reaching free agency. If he continues on his current trajectory, many MLB experts believe De La Cruz could easily land a contract north of $400 million. That's far too rich for the Reds' blood.

But a deal for a player like Stewart would be much, much less. Recent extensions like the nine-year, $140 million deal Konnor Griffin signed with the Pittsburgh Pirates, or JJ Wetherholt's eight-year, $112.5 million contract with the St. Louis Cardinals would be more in line with the type of commitment Stewart's talents would command from Cincinnati's ownership.

But for now, it's time for Reds Country to celebrate. The organization just handed out its largest contract to a pitcher since Homer Bailey's $105 million extension in 2012. Burns' deal is the third-largest contract in team history, behind only Ken Griffey Jr.'s nine-year, $112.5 million pact and Joey Votto's 10-year, $225 million extension.

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