Chase Burns landed on the injured list with a grade 1 flexor strain in his right elbow, trimming the Reds’ early-season breakout pace. Cincinnati recalled Joe La Sorsa from Triple-A Louisville as Burns heads to the shelf, while Wade Miley was sent to Double-A for a rehab assignment. The Reds also welcomed back Hunter Greene to the rotation after a long absence due to a strained right groin, a check-point moment as Cincinnati stays in the NL wild-card chase.

Burns, 22, has logged eight big-league appearances across 34 innings with a 5.24 ERA (88 ERA+), a 4.38 K:BB, and a heater sitting in the upper-90s. His Aug. 8 start vs Pittsburgh was a reminder of his upside: six innings, one run on three hits and a walk, with 10 strikeouts. The timeline for Burns remains uncertain; flexor strains vary widely, and Cincinnati’s immediate plan includes La Sorsa’s left-handed depth and Greene’s ramp-up.

The Reds sit a half-game behind the Mets for the NL’s final wild-card slot, heading into a pivotal weekend vs. the first-place Brewers. Milwaukee has rolled to 12 straight wins and 26 of 30, while Cincinnati has shown momentum of late, going 18–12 in the last 30. The absence of Burns tests the Reds’ depth, but Greene’s return injects a critical veteran presence as they navigate a tight playoff race.