In a stunning debut that had baseball fans everywhere on the edge of their seats, Reds rookie Chase Burns came out firing on all cylinders by striking out the first five batters he faced in his big league debut. The 21-year-old flame-thrower had the Yankee Stadium crowd in awe as he mowed down the likes of Aaron Judge and Giancarlo Stanton with ease.
“I’ve never seen anything like it,” said Yankees manager Aaron Boone. “It was like he was throwing heat-seeking missiles out there. Our guys had no chance.”
Burns’ performance had social media buzzing, with hashtags like #ChaseTheGreat and #BurnsBabyBurns trending worldwide. Even former MLB players took notice, with Hall of Famer Pedro Martinez tweeting, “That kid has some serious filth. Impressive stuff.”
But just when it seemed like Burns was destined for greatness, the rookie phenom hit a snag in the fourth inning. After giving up a walk and a couple of hits, Burns found himself in a jam with the bases loaded and one out. That’s when the pressure got to him, and he served up a grand slam to Yankees catcher Gary Sanchez.
“I was just thinking, ‘Don’t throw a meatball, don’t throw a meatball,'” Burns said after the game. “And then I threw a meatball. It happens.”
Despite the rough inning, Burns still managed to strike out a total of seven batters in his debut. Reds manager David Bell praised the young pitcher’s composure and talent, saying, “Chase has a bright future ahead of him. He showed flashes of brilliance out there today, and I have no doubt he’ll bounce back stronger next time.”
As for Burns, he’s taking the loss in stride and looking ahead to his next start.
“You win some, you lose some,” Burns said with a shrug. “But hey, at least I got to strike out Aaron Judge. That’s a memory I’ll cherish forever.”
With a mix of raw talent and a sense of humor, it’s safe to say that Chase Burns is a name we’ll be hearing a lot more of in the future. And who knows, maybe next time he’ll strike out the entire lineup before serving up a grand slam. One thing’s for sure: the baseball world will be watching.
