Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Colorado Rockies outfielder Troy Johnston (20) and right fielder Tyler Freeman (2) misplay a pop off in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) scores on an Elly De La Cruz single in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Q&A
What is the current status of Hunter Greene's recovery?
Hunter Greene is progressing well in his recovery, which is a positive sign for the Reds' pitching rotation.
How is Nick Lodolo's recovery affecting the Reds' pitching depth?
Nick Lodolo's recovery is enhancing the Reds' pitching depth, providing them with more options as the season progresses.
Who are the key pitchers for the Cincinnati Reds this season?
Key pitchers for the Cincinnati Reds this season include Hunter Greene, Nick Lodolo, and Chase Burns.
What impact do injuries have on the Reds' pitching strategy?
Injuries can significantly impact the Reds' pitching strategy, but the team's depth allows them to adapt and remain competitive.
Related Articles
Sports·Preview
Texas UIL baseball bi-district playoffs set to begin later this week
Texas UIL baseball playoffs set to begin with top teams competing
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Transfer
Virginia Tech basketball: Elon G Ned Hull transfers to Hokies
Elon guard Ned Hull joins Virginia Tech for the 2026-27 season
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Recap
Coastal Carolina crushes UNC in lopsided top-10 showdown
Coastal Carolina crushes UNC 12-2 in a dominant top-10 showdown!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
NBA·Recap
Hawks-Knicks Game 5 takeaways: Jalen Brunson and Karl-Anthony Towns are a problem
Knicks dominate Hawks 126-97 in Game 5, taking a 3-2 series lead!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports·Recap
Best social media reactions from Texas A&M's 9-7 win against Tarleton
Texas A&M baseball secures a 9-7 victory over Tarleton!
Yahoo Sports··1 min read
Sports
NCAA agrees to strike down another rule as part of new legal settlement
NCAA eliminates prize money restrictions for student-athletes in new settlement.
See every story in Sports — including breaking news and analysis.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) celebrates an RBI single with first base coach Collin Cowgill (54) in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) steals second base under a tag from Colorado Rockies second baseman Edouard Julien (6) in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) runs the bases on two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) high fives third base coach Willie Harris (99) on a two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) crosses the plate on a two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros (12) plays a ground ball off the bat of Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe (31) for an out at first base in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) fields ground ball off the bat of Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros (12) for an out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'bryan Hayes (3) smiles to shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) after Cruz’s athletic play for an out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) gathers himself in the dugout after the top of the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) adjusts his helmet between pitches in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) runs for first base on a single to center field in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits an RBI single to center field, scoring Dane Myers from second base, in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) runs for first base on an RBI single in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) scores on an Elly de la Cruz single in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
1 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
1 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
2 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Colorado Rockies starting pitcher Kyle Freeland (21) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
3 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Colorado Rockies outfielder Troy Johnston (20) and right fielder Tyler Freeman (2) misplay a pop off in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
4 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) scores on an Elly De La Cruz single in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
5 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) celebrates an RBI single with first base coach Collin Cowgill (54) in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
6 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) steals second base under a tag from Colorado Rockies second baseman Edouard Julien (6) in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
7 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) runs the bases on two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
8 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) high fives third base coach Willie Harris (99) on a two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
9 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds left fielder Spencer Steer (7) crosses the plate on a two-run home run in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
10 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros (12) plays a ground ball off the bat of Cincinnati Reds designated hitter Nathaniel Lowe (31) for an out at first base in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
11 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) fields ground ball off the bat of Colorado Rockies third baseman Kyle Karros (12) for an out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
12 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds third baseman Ke'bryan Hayes (3) smiles to shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) after Cruz’s athletic play for an out in the second inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
13 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) gathers himself in the dugout after the top of the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
14 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) adjusts his helmet between pitches in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
15 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) runs for first base on a single to center field in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
16 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits an RBI single to center field, scoring Dane Myers from second base, in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
17 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) runs for first base on an RBI single in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
18 / 18
Photos from Reds series-opener vs. Rockies, April 28
Cincinnati Reds center fielder Dane Myers (17) scores on an Elly de la Cruz single in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
The Cincinnati Reds' pitching depth stands to get deeper, but its series opener against the Colorado Rockies re-emphasized that the starting point in the 2026 was still plenty deep.
Twenty-three-year-old Chase Burns might not have even had his best stuff in the April 28 game. He still plowed through six innings, striking out nine. The third out of the top of the first inning marked 100 career strikeouts for Burns, making him the fastest Reds pitcher to reach the century mark.
Burns exited the game with Cincinnati leading, 4-2. Cincinnati went on to win 7-2, improving to 19-10 this season and remaining atop the National League Central division.
Burns' record improved to 3-1.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds pitcher Chase Burns (26) throws a pitch in the first inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Reds starters are a combined 10-7 this season.
Cincinnati's bullpen took down the last three innings in scoreless fashion, improving upon their collective 2.91 ERA, which was already the second-best bullpen ERA in the majors. With the score still 4-2, Graham Ashcraft worked through traffic to record a scoreless seventh inning and Tony Santillan also worked around baserunners to blank the Rockies in the eighth.
Then, with Emilio Pagán warming in the bullpen for a would-be save situation, Cincinnati's offense blew the game open. Brock Burke was then chosen to record the final three outs,
Elsewhere in the Reds organization, manager Terry Francona reported progress for starters Hunter Greene and Nick Lodolo earlier on April 28.
However good the pitching has been through 29 games, reinforcements are coming.
Greene, still working out of the club's Goodyear, Arizona, Player Development Complex, was throwing from about 110 feet, and was roughly three weeks from his first bullpen session, Francona said. It was still to be determined when Greene would rejoin the Reds in Cincinnati to continue his return from spring surgery on his throwing elbow.
"For sure, once he starts to throw hiss bullpens, we'd definitely like to get him here. We're kind of working through that now," Francona said. "It's nice to have guys around. It really is, and it's probably good for him. Same time, he can get one-on-one... The hands-on treatment they get there is so good that we'll probably encourage him to stay there a little bit. At least until his bullpens."
Lodolo was set for a second rehab start after successfully completing a rehab start after failing to do so earlier in April.
Pitching April 26 for the Cincinnati Reds' High-A affiliate in Dayton, Lodolo (left index finger blister) went five innings on a day when he was scheduled to pitch four. He tossed 39 strikes on 51 pitches, allowing just two hits with no walks and seven strikeouts. Francona said on April 28 that Lodolo included eight breaking balls in his 51 pitches, which was promising because his grip on those pitches can agitate the blister.
The Reds would then reassess Lodolo's status following his outing in Omaha, Francona said.
Elly De La Cruz aids Chase Burns, Reds' bullpen with four RBI's
Against the Rockies, Elly De La Cruz provided all the offense Burns and the bullpen would need. He had two RBI singles through three innings and then lined a two-run homer to left field in a three-run eighth inning.
De La Cruz's first-inning pop-up found the grass in between three Rockies fielders to plate Dane Myers for a 1-0 lead. De La Cruz would then score later in the inning when Spencer Steer clapped a no-doubt homer to the seats in right field.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits an RBI single to center field, scoring Dane Myers from second base, in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati Reds shortstop Elly de la Cruz (44) hits an RBI single to center field, scoring Dane Myers from second base, in the third inning of the MLB National League game between the Cincinnati Reds and the Colorado Rockies at Great American Ball Park in downtown Cincinnati on Tuesday, April 28, 2026. The Reds led 4-1 after three innings.
Cincinnati's next burst of offensive after De La Cruz lined a single up the middle in the third inning was the All-Star shortstop's 10th homer of 2026.
Nathaniel Lowe capped the scoring with an RBI single to play Sal Stewart, who reached on a ground-rule double.
Reds go for fifth straight series win
A victory April 29 would make five consecutive series wins for Cincinnati, and it will send out lefty starter Brandon Williamson (2-2, 5.40 ERA) to accomplish the feat. Williamson is scheduled to be opposed by right-hander Tomoyuki Sugano (2-1, 3.42 ERA).
The game at Great American Ball Park is scheduled for a 6:40 p.m. first pitch.
