Fans at Great American Ball Park witnessed an exciting clash between Reds starter Chase Burns and Mets’ Dominican star outfielder Juan Soto during Monday night’s series opener. The silent confrontation began shortly after Soto called a timeout as Burns was about to pitch.
Although no words were exchanged, it was clear the pitcher didn’t appreciate the timeout at such a crucial moment. What followed kept the crowd on the edge of their seats as Burns delivered an impressive pitching sequence, ultimately striking out Soto in four pitches.
The first two pitches were four-seam fastballs precisely in the strike zone, effectively jamming Soto. The decisive pitch was a sharp changeup that dipped on Soto, resulting in a swinging strikeout.
Fans were quick to share their reactions to Burns’ thrilling pitching sequence on social media.
“Jesus Christ, that was violent lmao,” one fan commented.
“Even as a Mets fan I can appreciate this. This is how baseball is supposed to be played,” another fan commented.
“He then manhandled him for the rest of his at bats. Ruthless,” yet another fan commented.
Some other fans praised Burns for his pitching ability and even said the pitcher was a star in the making who would win a highly coveted honor in the future.
“Friendly reminder that no matter how great a professional hitter may be…they’re still no match for elite stuff combined with pinpoint command,” one fan commented.
“Chase Burns will win multiple Cy Young awards in his career,” another fan commented.
“Guys, the timeout is fine, but holy, this AB is getting me going. Burns is filthy,” yet another fan commented.
Burns went on to pitch five scoreless innings, striking out seven batters, in his start on Monday night. The bullpen followed up on his outstanding outing as the Reds sealed a dominant 13-0 shutout victory over the Mets, taking a 1-0 lead in the three-game series.
Chase Burns Reflected on His Dominant Outing Against the Mets
After claiming yet another win and improving his record to 8-1 for the campaign, Burns addressed the media for a post-game interview following the series opener win against the Mets.
“I put myself in some tough situations, but I was just being able to bear down and throw myself into executing some pitches. If anything, it gives you more confidence and gives you a little bit more leeway, I guess, but the mentality is the same as you got there. I was just executing a little bit more ride on my fastball today, so I’m just trying to get at the top of the zone,” said Burns on his overall outing and what it feels like to pitch with a lead.
Burns is now 8-1 on the season with a 2.01 ERA, 95 strikeouts, and a 1.02 WHIP. With last night’s performance, the 23-year-old has issued a challenge to become a serious contender for the NL CY Young Award this season. Burns will make his next start in the series finale against the Yankees at Yankee Stadium on Sunday.
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