Burns is sitting on 136.0 IP so far during this breakout season of his, a good bit out in front of the 109.1 IP he logged across all levels last year. That’s on the back of a 100.0 IP season the year prior with Wake Forest, and as the Reds slip further and further into the standings abyss after dismal losses akin to the one from yesterday in Arizona, the reality is that they aren’t going to run him into the ground in an already-lost season.
Burns gets the ball tonight as the Reds begin their series against the San Francisco Giants on the west coast, so you’ll need to put on a pot of coffee and stay up late to catch him. However, there’s a very real likelihood that he’s on the mound for only two or three more turns this season, so forfeiting the chance to see a true ace at work becomes infinitely more important than a) sleep or b) any serious conversations you plan on having before 10 AM tomorrow morning.
First pitch this evening is set for a cozy 9:45 PM ET.
Here’s how the Reds will line up to start:
