“Welcome to the big leagues, kid!” Former Reds icon Barry Larkin said with much enthusiasm. Expected reaction when a debut like this hasn’t been seen in the last 50 years of MLB. So, just tune into the second game between the Reds and Yankees to witness something truly historic unfolding live. While the game is still hanging on a knife’s edge, the spotlight has unexpectedly shifted to Cincinnati’s top prospect, Chase Burns.

Well, making your debut is pressure enough. And that too against the mighty Yankees! But Burns is currently owning the opponents. Striking out the side in the very first inning of his MLB career, the 21-year-old right-hander instantly announced his arrival with swagger and poise. Enough for the fans to go gaga and raving about what could be the birth of baseball’s next star.

MLB’s X handle stirred a barrage of stunned reactions just when the game was midway, posting a simple video and captioning it: “6 strikeouts through 2 innings.” And what a performance it was!

Well, Burns couldn’t have asked for a more electric start to his MLB debut. He opened the game by making Yankees leadoff man Trent Grisham look completely lost. Next up was Ben Rice, and Burns made quick work of him too, blowing a 99 mph heater past him for another swinging strikeout. Then came the real test…

Aaron Judge. But just check the body language of Burns! He looked cool, calm, and poised, and wasn’t rattled. He went right after Judge and struck him out in four pitches, finishing him off with a wicked slider that Judge swung through. The second inning started much like the first. Burns punched out former MVPs Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt back-to-back. Jazz Chisholm Jr. finally broke through with the Yankees’ first hit, but Burns bounced right back and struck out Anthony Volpe on just three pitches to wrap up the frame.

Record alert! That’s six up, six down, all via strikeout.

After mowing down Cody Bellinger and Paul Goldschmidt to start the second inning, Burns had racked up five strikeouts against the first five Major League hitters he ever faced. According to OptaStats, that’s a feat no other pitcher has pulled off in the last 50 years.

For the unversed, Burns was the Reds’ No. 2 overall pick in the 2024 MLB Draft. Not long after, he became the team’s top prospect and signed a record-setting $9.25 million bonus, just edging out the $9.2 million Paul Skenes got from the Pirates. And now, Burns is showing exactly why he was worth every penny. It’s early, but he’s already flashing that same Skenes-level dominance on the big stage.

And the fans? They are still sharing their views, witnessing a history in the making.

Fans are awestruck by the Reds rookie’s historic debut

Fans are trying to figure out when the last time the Yankees were routed by a debutant like this. The result may go differently. But there’s no doubt that the Yankees are looking pathetic today against Chase Burns, as one fan chimed in, “He’s making the Yankees look pathetic”. His debut wrapped up after five solid innings on the mound. He gave up six hits and three earned runs, but didn’t walk a single batter and struck out eight along the way. Of the total 81 pitches, 53 of them for strikes. All these by sticking out the Yankees’ decorated lineup in the first inning.

One user claimed, “He’s a future Ace.” Just when we are already going gaga over Paul Skenes’ stuff, the next big thing at the mound is here. According to the Reds’ announcer John Sadak, “Burns is the first Red to strike out the side in his MLB debut since Mo Sanford in August of 1991.” You might argue one game is too small to judge someone, but look at his minor league stats. The Reds’ rookie is coming with a 7-3 record with a 1.77 ERA! Enough ingredients to cook a future ace.

Another was apprehensive at the state of affairs in the league: “Guess he should be traded to the Dodgers?” Take it with a pinch of sarcasm, but anything good and bright is bound to get to the Dodgers? The Reds are currently fourth in the NL Central while the Dodgers are leading the NL West. So, while the change to get into the postseason is high with the Dodgers, Burns made a strong case to get him traded by the Reds. However, considering the dwindling pitching of the Dodgers post-Roki Sasaki and Blake Snell departure due to injury, Burns is someone they would break their bank.

“I just watched Ben Rice put a Chase Burns pitch 430ft into the stands,” said another fan. Rice put a dent in the Chase Burns hype train for a moment when he launched a solo shot to right field in the top of the 4th. Jazz Chisholm also managed to notch a hit off the rookie, showing that the Yankees weren’t completely overwhelmed. But honestly, no one was expecting perfection from Burns in his first big-league outing. His electric first two innings alone were enough to turn heads and make a statement.

One fan summed up the whole sentiment: “Not bad for a guy just drafted last season.” Remember Karl Spooner, the Dodger who shone on his debut in 1954? He set an MLB debut record with 15 strikeouts in a complete-game shutout. Well, Burns is no Spooner. Moreover, this year, we also witnessed the debut of the Phillies’ Mick Abel. He tied the team’s debut strikeout record with 9 SOs over six scoreless innings, tying Curt Simmons’ mark from 1947. So, Burns is not here, but still, it’s a good outing here for the debutant.