Chase Burns’ injury places the Cincinnati Reds in a tight spot as they chase a wild-card berth. The 22-year-old, who rocketed from Wake Forest to the Reds’ rotation after being the No. 2 pick in 2024, is now on the 15-day injured list with a right flexor strain. Cincinnati is weighing whether to push Burns back or cap his innings with a bullpen-focused plan to protect him for 2026 while staying in the playoff chase.

With Burns sidelined, the Reds must decide how to finish the season. MRI results eased fears of a serious injury, but Burns will miss at least two weeks and will be eased back upon his return. He’s already circled 100 innings across the minors and majors this season, a threshold that has Reds leadership contemplating cautious handling as they try to sustain a late-season push after a long playoff drought.

Greene returns from the IL to fortify Cincinnati’s rotation as the Reds chase a postseason spot. In 11 starts this year he’s 4-3 with a 2.72 ERA across 59 2/3 innings, and his health is pivotal down the stretch. Cincinnati sits 63-58, two games back of the Mets for the final NL Wild Card, making every start critical. Burns was lined up to close the series finale, while Brady Singer supplied six shutout innings in the previous game, underscoring the depth the Reds will lean on as the stretch drive unfolds. The showdown with Philadelphia at Great American Ball Park anchors the late-season narrative, with the Reds needing quality innings from a healthy rotation to gain ground.

Greene’s return adds upside, but the groin history raises risk of workload fluctuations. Cincinnati will weigh innings and effectiveness as they navigate a tight Wild Card race. The six shutout innings from Singer highlight how quickly a pitching plan can shift in a pennant chase, and Burns’ status remains in flux as the organization assesses rookie leverage. Fantasy players should monitor Greene’s velocity, per-inning workload, and how the Reds sequence pitchers against a Phillies lineup that can swing momentum in a hurry.

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.

Week 20 waiver wire adds spotlight Bryan Abreu, Luke Keaschall, Owen Caissie, Chase Burns, Samuel Basallo, and Bubba Chandler as managers chase the last big pushes of the season. Hader’s IL stint opens saves opportunities for Abreu in Houston, while Caissie earns a quick promotion in Chicago after a monster Triple-A season. Keaschall has quietly surged, and Burns, Basallo, and Chandler offer intriguing prospect paths for deeper formats. The piece emphasizes prioritizing daily moves, monitoring injuries, and leveraging top prospect lists in the final stretch.