Cincinnati Reds: Rhett Lowder and Chase Burns are rising to the moment
· Yahoo Sports
Cincinnati Reds starting pitchers Chase Burns and Rhett Lowder are two of the 25 youngest pitchers in baseball, and they’re also two of the most impressive players on the Reds through three weeks this season.
The Reds suffered notable losses when Hunter Greene (elbow) and Nick Lodolo (blister) opened the season on the injured list. The front office’s plan is for pitching and defense to lead the way, and Greene and Lodolo are former first-round picks with immense potential and track records of success in the big leagues.
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Fortunately for the Reds, they had two more former first-round picks in Burns and Lowder who were ready to step into prominent roles.
Along with rookie first baseman Sal Stewart, the Reds are having success while counting on the team’s youngest players in critical roles.
“(The success) is because of the staff that we have here, the development we have in the Minor Leagues, the coaches that we have,” Stewart said. “We’ve got a lot of young guys. It’s not an accident. The way we draft as an organization. The people that we get. We get a lot of hard workers. Kudos to the organization. Sometimes, the organization doesn’t get as much credit as they deserve.”
Against the Giants on Wednesday, Lowder earned the win by throwing a career-high 6 ⅔ innings and allowing three runs. His poise, command, deep pitch mix, consistency and reliability all give him the presence of a veteran.
In 10 career big league starts, he has a 2.18 ERA.
“We got a taste of what Lowder was capable of a couple of years ago when he was healthy,” catcher Tyler Stephenson said. “It’s a lot of fun to watch what he does.”
While the Reds lost, 3-0, to the Giants on Thursday in the series finale, Burns pitched six shutout innings.
“Being able to mix and match his pitches today, he had everything dialed in,” catcher PJ Higgins said. “He did a really good job mixing the ball around. The slider was special, as always. He has good stuff. When he’s spotting it up and pitching where he wants to, that’s a dangerous recipe.”
Burns looks the part as the top pitcher taken in the 2024 MLB Draft. He has elite velocity, a slider that can force ugly swings from elite hitters and an emerging changeup that he’s starting to have success with.
He’s developing a routine that can make him more consistent from start-to-start.
“Every time I go out there, I’m very pumped up to throw,” Burns said. “That can be a con with my pitching sometimes. I just try to stay smooth and go out there and pitch.”
Thursday was a revenge game for Burns. Giants manager Tony Vitello was Burns’ college coach at Tennessee, and Burns entered the transfer portal at the end of the 2023 season and went to Wake Forest after it didn’t work out with the Volunteers.
After the game on Thursday, Burns declined to comment on the emotions of pitching against Vitello.
Burns might have been amped up before the game, but he didn’t show it on the mound.
“Being honest, warmups were a little iffy,” Higgins said. “He said, once the jitters settle down, I’ll settle in and be fine.”
While veterans Andrew Abbott and Brady Singer have had ups and downs this season, Burns and Lowder have pitched very well and shown a lot of potential.
The Reds are asking for a lot out of their youngest starting pitchers, but Burns and Lowder have the stuff and the presence to meet expectations.
“For them to be here and be a part of this, there’s so much for them to learn,” Stephenson said. “Look at where they were when they first called up to where they are now. It’s not a finished product. It’ll be exciting when they are because they’re already really talented.”