Imagine making your MLB debut as a starting pitcher. Imagine the best possible way that evening could start out. Reds rookie Chase Burns basically did exactly that.

Burns got his call up to the bigs after just 13 games in the minors, where put up a 1.77 ERA over 66 innings pitched, throwing 89 strikeouts along the way.

Burns had a tall order in his debut, facing off against the New York Yankees. The third batter he faced in the majors was maybe the greatest hitter we’ve seen in two decades.

He struck out the first two batters he faced, and then struck Aaron Judge out too.

Burns wasn’t done there. He would strike out the next two batters he faced in the second inning, and then after giving up his first hit, strike out Anthony Volpe, making it two straight innings without relying on his defense for an out.

Per OptaStats, Burns became the only rookie in the past 50 years to strike out the first five batters he faced in his MLB debut.

Burns is only a few innings into his major league career, but he’s already shown he has some serious power in his arsenal, and the baseball world took notice.

As Paul Skenes proved in his rookie season last year, if you have got the stuff, it doesn’t take long to establish yourself as an ace in the majors, and it looks very possible that Burns does indeed have the stuff.

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This article was originally published on www.si.com as Reds Rookie Chase Burns Accomplished Pitching Feat Not Seen in 50 Years in MLB Debut.

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