Chase Burns Threw a Career-High 105 Pitches Last Week, And This Mets Rookie Has No Idea What's Coming

Alright, Seattle, listen up, because while our Mariners are battling it out, there's some wild baseball happening back East. The New York Mets are on a sneaky run, grabbing three wins in their last four games and a solid ten in the last sixteen. That's serious momentum! But tonight, their hot streak and their promising young hitter are about to collide head-on with a Cincinnati Reds flamethrower who just threw a career-high 105 pitches. This is going to be a must-watch showdown to kick off their three-game series.

Mets Are Finding Their Rhythm, But Need More

Can you believe the Mets are actually stacking up some wins? They just snagged a series victory against the Atlanta Braves over the weekend, which is no small feat given how far ahead the Braves are in the National League East. Mets manager Carlos Mendoza nailed it when he said, "For us to turn this thing around, we have to start winning series consistently." He's not wrong. They're still under .500, but another win tonight would pull them within six games of breaking even for the first time since May 21. That's a goal worth fighting for! A huge reason for their recent spark? Rookie outfielder A.J. Ewing. This kid is on fire! He singled, doubled, and homered in Sunday's 8-1 rubber game win against the Braves, pushing his average up to a respectable .267. Mendoza had high praise, comparing Ewing to fellow rookie Carson Benge, saying you "can't really tell if they're 0-for, or they're going through a really good stretch." That consistency is clutch for young guys, but they'll need all of it and more tonight. The Mets are rolling out Tobias Myers, who's made just two starts all season compared to 18 relief appearances. Myers has an 0-1 record with a 4.05 ERA, and while he's got a 0-0 record and 1.35 ERA in six career appearances against the Reds, his limited workload (just one inning of relief since May 29) makes him a total wildcard. Mendoza admits they have a "pitch count in mind." Sounds like a bullpen game waiting to happen.

Reds Are Fighting For Every Run

On the other side, the Cincinnati Reds are in a tough spot. They just lost their fifth straight series, falling 4-3 to the Arizona Diamondbacks on Sunday. Worse? They combined for a measly seven runs in that entire three-game set. Reds manager Terry Francona put it bluntly: "Sometimes, for us, runs are harder to come by than we want them to be. It's not a lack of effort. It's a little bit challenging at times." That's an understatement when you're scoring less than three runs a game! The last time they actually won a series was back in May when they took two of three from these very Mets. But here's where it gets interesting: they're sending Chase Burns to the mound. This guy is a certified ace, sporting a 7-1 record and a dazzling 2.14 ERA. He was practically unhittable in May, going 4-0 in five starts with a 1.19 ERA. Yeah, he's got two no-decisions in June, but in his last outing against the Padres, he still threw 5 1/3 innings, gave up two runs on six hits, and notched a career-high 105 pitches in an 11-inning win. This 23-year-old right-hander is a legit threat, and he's facing a Mets lineup that's found some life but is about to see some serious heat.

What's On The Line Tonight?

Tonight, it's not just another game. The Mets are fighting to inch closer to .500 and prove their recent surge is real, while the Reds desperately need to snap their series-losing skid. It's a classic battle: a hot rookie like A.J. Ewing and a bullpen-by-committee approach for the Mets against the Reds' struggling offense but an absolute beast on the mound in Chase Burns. Who's gonna come out on top? You know I'll be glued to this one, Emerald City!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.