Reds rookie draws massive praise from Emilio Pagán as future building block

The Cincinnati Reds just gave their postseason chances a major boost with a four-game sweep of the Chicago Cubs, and the timing couldn’t have been better. In a September race that has left little room for error, the Reds have leaned not only on established veterans but also on fresh faces eager to carve out their place in the clubhouse. 

One of those faces is rookie Chase Burns, who has suddenly become the kind of player everyone in Cincinnati is buzzing about — not just for the numbers on the radar gun, but for the fearless way he’s attacking hitters in pressure spots and carrying himself like he belongs in the heat of a postseason chase.

Reds rookie Chase Burns earns veteran praise while boosting team’s playoff push

In fact, you don’t need to look far to find someone singing Burns’ praises. After notching his 29th save of the season, Emilio Pagán was asked in a postgame interview about bullpen mates like Tony Santillan. Instead, Pagán pivoted immediately to Burns: 

“What Chase Burns is doing for us right now is special, and the Reds are lucky to have him. We’re glad to have him in our clubhouse — he’s a savage. He wants the ball as much as they’ll give it to him.”

Pagán acknowledged that the organization is being careful with Burns’ workload, hinting that this is only the beginning of a long career in Cincinnati. Coming from a seasoned reliever, that’s the kind of endorsement that carries weight.

Pagán isn’t exaggerating. Burns’ stat line might look modest at first glance, but context is everything. After sustaining a Grade 1 right flexor tendon strain in August and spending time on the 15-day IL, the Reds brought him back in early September in a carefully managed bullpen role.

Since then, he’s worked 5⅓ innings across three outings, posting a 3.38 ERA with three strikeouts and just two earned runs. He’s been used as a swingman, logging two innings in his first two appearances and 1⅓ in his third, consistently throwing over 26 pitches per outing and twice stretching all the way to 36 pitches.

For a rookie, that’s no small adjustment. Yet Burns has embraced the bullpen assignment not as a step back but as a chance to prove he belongs. The mentality is clear: whatever role the Reds need him in, he’s ready. That willingness, combined with the raw stuff that made him the 2nd overall pick in the 2024 MLB draft, is exactly what has veterans like Pagán so excited about what’s to come.

If the Reds are going to keep pushing toward October, it will take more than just stars carrying the load. It will take contributions from players like Chase Burns, who are learning, adapting, and growing in the spotlight. His September role might be limited, but his long-term impact feels limitless. For Cincinnati, Burns isn’t just filling innings down the stretch; he’s planting the seeds of a career that could anchor their pitching staff for years to come.

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