Reds may have found the answer to their biggest pitching concern

The Cincinnati Reds and starting pitcher Chase Burns recently agreed to a seven-year contract extension that will keep the All-Star hurler in the Queen City through 2033. Unfortunately, his time in 2026 is quickly running out.

Burns is quickly approaching a career-high in innings pitched, and while the Reds haven't put an exact number on, the fireballer will almost certainly be shut down (or have his workload severely reduced) in the coming weeks. Burns is currently sitting at 107⅔ innings, and he's unlikely to go much past 140 total. That gives him maybe six more starts.

Brandon Williamson's return to the Reds rotation could be key to the second half

Thankfully, it appears that Brandon Williamson is inching closer to a return. During Wednesday's broadcast, RedsTV reporter Jim Day mentioned that Williamson faced live hitters before the series finale against the Seattle Mariners.

Williamson suffered a shoulder injury at the end of April and was placed on the 15-day IL. Cincinnati later transferred him to the 60-day and he suffered a setback in in late-June following a finger injury. The lefty has slowly been working his way — spending time at the team's facility in Arizona — and he could be sent on a rehab assignment in the near future.

The Reds will almost certainly need Williamson to rejoin the rotation in the coming weeks. Not only is Burns likely to be shut down, but right-handed starter Brady Singer could be traded before the August 3 deadline passes.

Singer has been the subject of trade rumors for the past couple of weeks, and his performance on Wednesday in Seattle did nothing to sully his reputation. Singer went 6⅔ innings, allowing three runs on six hits with six strikeouts and just one walk. Since June 10, Singer's gone 3-3 with a 2.98 ERA and is averaging more than six innings per start.

The Reds rotation is likely to undergo a lot of changes in the coming weeks, and having Williamson available will help offset any impending losses could be key. The Reds also have Julian Aguiar, José Franco, and Jose Acuña biding their time in Triple-A.

Add Nick Lodolo and Rhett Lowder to the Burns' uncertainty and Singer trade rumors. Lodolo is still out as well with a blister on his left index finger, and one has to wonder if Lowder has been tagged with an innings restriction as well after missing all of the 2025 season. Who knows what the Reds rotation will look like on August 4?

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